The authorities hope that by the fall of this year, Marculesti Free International Airport will also become accessible for charter flights. The information was communicated today by the Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development, Vladimir Bolea, who presented the bill in the Parliament plenary, which provides for the transfer of Mărculești Airport, under the management of Chișinău International Airport, reports IPN.

The Minister mentioned that Mărculești Airport has the potential to become a key point on the map of regional transport, and this project is the cornerstone of a systemic reconstruction.

Vladimir Bolea was asked when the first passengers might fly from Marculesti Airport. “Most likely, we will see the investment program that Chisinau International Airport will implement, they will provide precise dates. We hope to succeed by this fall, when people catch the last months of vacation for the first charter flights. We are trying, we are doing everything possible,” Vladimir Bolea specified.

The Minister also mentioned that the airport is currently operational. “There are around 200 landings and takeoffs annually, it is functional. There are 12 resident economic agents in the free economic zone, all of them are in the aviation field,” added Vladimir Bolea.

According to the authors of the legislative initiative, transferring management to the AIC will allow for more efficient coordination of activities and investments in the modernization of airport infrastructure. According to preliminary estimates, for Marculesti Airport to be able to operate passenger flights, investments of around 4.2 million euros are necessary.

The bill, voted on Thursday in the first reading, is expected to be adopted in the final reading as well.

Marculesti Airport is located 150 kilometers away from Chisinau, and its runway has a superior load-bearing capacity compared to that of Chisinau International Airport, allowing the operation of larger capacity aircraft.