The Bulgarian Air Traffic Services Authority (BULATSA) and construction company Glavbolgarstroy have signed a contract for the preliminary design and construction of a new control tower at Sofia Airport.

The air traffic control tower will be 50 meters high and will be built near Terminal 2 so that the two units suit each other in terms of architecture.

"The height and the location of the tower have been selected so as to ensure that the airport will remain functional for at least 40 years" said Diyan Dinev, the Director General of BULATSA, adding that the site would be prepared for the introduction of cutting-edge technologies.

Glavbolgarstroy was contracted to build the control tower because its bid received the highest mark, it offered the shortest implementation timeframe and a lower price than estimated by BULATSA.

Dinev commented that the price of BGN 14.8 M was good an fair, adding that the cost would be shouldered by BULATSA only.

Bulgarian Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski said that the project had been launched back in 2006 and things had started to drag for some unknown reason.

Moskovski said that the procedures had recently been fast-tracked and that the contractor was a company with a proven track record.

"The schedule for the control tower's completion is short, 10 months only, but I believe that it will be observed", the Transport Minister declared.

According to Dinev, in 2012 Bulgaria will have one of the most modern and most beautiful air traffic control towers in Europe.