The shortlist of candidates to build Sofia Airport new passenger terminal and a 3,5 kilometers runway will not be revised, the Transport and Communications Ministry decided. The European Commission is now expected to approve the documents for the tenders. The Transport Ministry declined to conduct a new pre-qualification of the candidates, even though it was advised to do so by the EC, Dnevnik Daily reported. The Ministry justified its decision citing the delay the new procedure would cause as well as the legal proceedings that might be raised against it by the candidates themselves. Fifteen companies, including US Bechtel, Germany’s Siemens, Kuwaiti and Turkish consortia were selected last year as candidates in the tenders. The tenders were to be opened in February. The deadline for completing construction works was set by the spring of 2004. The increase in passengers using Sofia Airport is projected at 2,6 million in 2006 from 1,1 million in 2001 and 2000. The new runway will allow big aircraft like Boeing 747 to land in Sofia, increasing the airport capacity to 600 landings a day. The projects will be funded by the EC, the Bulgarian Cabinet and private investors.