The new terminal of Sofia Airport will open just in time for the Christmas rush, on December 27, despite it lacks several key permits to operate normally, transport officials said.

The state construction inspectorate has already issued permits for the new terminal's main building, parking lot, access ways, but such are missing for the runways and the earth illumination.

However, talking to journalists on Monday, Transport Minister Petar Mutafchiev was assured the new airport terminal will operate normally and in full compliance with the international standards.

Attending representative of key project contractor Strabag put the blame on Bulgarian subcontractors for several delays in the terminal's commissioning. In the words of Nematola Faroknia, this project was "a clash of two cultures".

At the end of November the Directorate for National Construction Control allowed the new passengers' terminal at Sofia airport to be put into exploitation. The green light was given for the runway system and the adjacent facilities.

The whole modernized complex will be put into operations at the end of January.

Its net costs stand at some EUR 110 M for nearly two years. The new airport's capacity is expected to serve two million passengers, Faroknia said.

Sofia Airport CEO Plamen Stanchev explained that the old terminal will serve only low-cost airlines and charter flights.

The airliners, flying to and from Sofia airport, and their offices will be gradually re-directed from the old to the new terminal, he added.

Sofia Airport will now have face to become the leading aviation hub in this region of Europe, Stanchev noted.

Baggage conveyors and check-in counters will start working the moment the first airline company takes off.

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