OREANDA-NEWS. April 23, 2008. Irrespective of whether the current Lutsk military airfield becomes one of those to service the 2012 European Football Championship, executives in Volyn region will start work to transform its infrastructure and build a civil airport instead, reported the Official website www.kmu.gov.ua.

A number of domestic and foreign investors expressed preparedness to take part in implementation of this project, Deputy Chair of the Regional State Administration Vasyl Baitsym said during a meeting on restoration of open joint stock company Lutsk Air Enterprise.

Among those who showed interest in cooperation there is the National Chamber for International Cooperation, Baitsym said. Its management expressed preparedness to buy out by-issued shares of the enterprise, and join in the Lutsk airport reconstruction.

The results of the talks with the Alpe Invest European air company director were also a success, the deputy governor says. Proposal on cooperation also came from Germany's Honeywell Airport System, with whose representatives a business meeting is due to take place.

As reported, Lutsk's former civil airport, which is 12 kilometers off the city, went bankrupt and stopped functioning more than ten years ago. OJSC Lutsk Ari Enterprise, which was set up on its basis, has been failing to resume operation as well. 70% of its shares are in regional authority ownership. That is why the decision was made to create a civil airport on the basis of the military one, which is much closer to Lutsk.

The defense ministry granted permit to join use of the runway, which is the best in Ukraine's western area.

Project for the construction of the airport and its infrastructure will cost about EUR 50 million - EUR 60 million.