Thursday, January 26 2017 17:45

ArmInfo. There is an agreement  of making investments in Shirak airport in Gyumri with its  concessionaire, Prime Minister of Armenia Karen Karapetyan stated on  January 26 during the government's session. The Prime Minister of  Armenia informed that a visit to Gyumri is scheduled on Saturday,  during which a wide scale program of tourism development will be  discussed. In this context the Prime Minister instructed the Head of  General Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia to organize a visit  to Shirak airport and a meeting of the concessionaire with the  headship, as there is an agreement on making investments amid  expectations of growth of tourists' flow to Gyumri. 

Following the session of the government Head of the General  Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia Sergey Avetisyan stated that  work with concessionaire lasted for quite a long time. However, he  did not provided the details stating that the information is  commercially sensitive.  Avetisyan assured that everything possible  is done to increase the number of airline companies carrying out  flights from Yerevan "Zvartnots" and Gyumri "Shirak" airport. 

To note, "Shirak" airport is part of  "Armenia" International  Airports" CJS, established by the famous Argentinean businessman of  Armenian descent Eduardo Eurnekian. The airport "Shirak" of Gyumri  was built in 1961 and with its indices it is the second in the  Republic of Armenia. The airport is located 5 km far from Gyumri and  120 km far from Yerevan. The building and the runway of the present  functioning airport have been put into operation in 1982. The airport  "Shirak" of Gyumri can be considered the second international  alternate airport of Armenia.

Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan stated at the parliament On October  20, while presenting the government program for three years that  Armenian government intends to re-launch the airport in Gyumri, the  second largest city of Armenia. According to him the government will  hold negotiations with a number of low-cost companies for this  reason.  To recall, no flights have been conducted from Shiak airport  in Gyumri for a long period of time. The only flight Gyumri-Moscow  was suspended in the beginning of this year.  Shirak Airport in  Gyumri has reduced tariff on air navigation service for 50% aiming to  attract the first and as of now the only air carrier-Pobeda airline.  The airport is also exempted from the so called "air tax", moreover  starting from Feb 1 2017 hydrometeorological services provided by the  "Zvartnots" CJSC will be free for all the airline companies of Shirak  airport.