DUSHANBE, January 24, 2011, Asia-Plus -- Additional 9 million euros are needed to construct an international terminal at the Dushanbe airport, Aziz Ibrohimov, the deputy director general of Dushanbe International Airport, told reporters in Dushanbe on January 24.

According to him, the initial estimated budget for implementation of this project was 27 million euros, including a long-term low interest loan of €20 million provided by France and Tajikistan’s share in an amount of €7 million. “To-date, the Tajik side has allocated €5.2 million for implementation of the project.”

In the meantime, French corporations building the terminal informed Dushanbe International Airport that additional €9 million are needed for the project, Ibrohimov noted, adding that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is currently considering the issue of the additional financing for the international terminal construction project.

The overall space of the international terminal at the Dushanbe airport will be 11,000 square meters and it will able to receive more than 5,000 passengers per hour.

We will recall that the project for construction of an international terminal at the Dushanbe airport is being implemented under financial support of France. France has provided Tajikistan a long-term, low interest 20 million euro loan to fund the 27 million euro construction of the new terminal at the Dushanbe airport. The terminal will bring the Dushanbe airport up to international air traffic standards, and the government officials would like it to be open in time for Tajikistan’s 20th anniversary of independence on September 9, 2011.