Petropavlovsk airport may be closed

Transport prosecutors of North-Kazakhstan oblast have issued a ruling to close Petropavlovsk airport, Interfax-Kazakhstan writes. “We have submitted a request to the chief transport prosecutors asking them to consider closing Petropavlovsk airport,” assistant to transport prosecutor of North-Kazakhstan oblast Sabyrzhan Mukanov told Interfax-Kazakhstan. “We are concerned about the flights safety. The airport’s building itself poses a threat. It was revealed by the recent inspection of Vira Project JSC. They detected deviation in the load-bearing frame of the building and its supports. The airport's lighting navigational equipment is in poor condition as well,” he explained. The request has already been reviewed by the Civil Aviation Commission and a special commission will arrive in Petropavlovsk in the nearest time. According to the speaker, the situation in the airport will not change without funding from the state budget. “Both equipment and the building have to be repaired. Private investors will not invest the money,” he stressed. Chief Transport Prosecutor’s Office and administration of North-Kazakhstan oblast have managed to return 60 percent of the shares of Petropavlovsk International Airport from private hands back into state property via court procedures. In 2009-2911 North-Kazakhstan oblast courts sustained the claims of the transport prosecutors and administration and declared sales of the said shares void and ruled them returned into the state property.