Russian transport minister proposes fund dedicated to airport infrastructure

Russia’s transport minister has requested that a fund be established for airport modernisation in the country, during a broad governmental meeting with president Vladimir Putin. Vitaly Saveliev told Putin on 17 January that 241 airports will be operating in Russia by 2030, of which 228 are already active. But he says 111 are subject to reconstruction and “major overhaul” by this date. Saveliev put the overall cost of the projects at Rb383b ($4.3b). “We will obtain part of this money that we need through the mechanism of public-private partnership,” he says, pointing out that such a strategy is used by Moscow Sheremetyevo, Blagoveshchensk and Novy Urengoy airports. “Nevertheless we would like to propose…to create a fund specifically for the overhaul and reconstruction of airports.” Saveliev told Putin that, if he supported the idea, the ministry would draw up proposals for a mechanism to fund airport infrastructure. Putin responded that such a fund is a “possible project” but it would need further work to establish sources.<br/>