DUSHANBE, July 4, Asia-Plus -- One of leading international firms in audit “Ernst & Young” (the United States) will carry out work to study preparedness of the Dushanbe airport for receiving Western type aircraft and formally accept Western type planes for exploitation, Mr. Hokimsho Tilloyev, Director general of the Tajik State Air Company “Tojikiston” said.  

According to him, experts from “Ernst & Young” will start work by the end of this month and are scheduled to finish it by the end of this year.   “Only after completion of the work by experts from this international audit company and its recommendation, one may speak about what Western type plane our company will be able to lease,” Mr. Tilloyev said 

He noted that services rendered by that audit firm would be paid from a loan of US$5 million provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for improving air traffic control and air navigation systems in the two airports of the country.  This project was drafted in 2001 already.    

The Tajik national air carrier head has stressed that it is still premature to say what Western type aircraft Tajikistan will lease: Airbus or Boeing.  “All depends on the results of work of the audit firm,” Hokimsho Tilloyev said.  

At present the Tajik national air carrier has 23 planes and four helicopters MI-8.  The majority of Tojikiston’s aircraft will have outlived their service life by 2015.  

ABOUT: International firm “Ernst & Young” is one of the world’s leading providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services.  It provides high quality services in the areas of audit, tax and transaction advice.