Dear BAIA Members,
Dear friends of aviation,
We are on the eve of one of the holiest holidays in Bulgaria – Christmas. We are also about to welcome the new year 2022, which we hope will be far more successful than the previous two, a year in which we will give our best to tackle the next challenges of COVID-19.
The end of December is usually a time for reflection. And we definitely have something to say. In just one year, BAIA has achieved, dare I say, a lot. The most important objective we have achieved is the promulgation of £60 million of state aid for the airlines most affected by COVID-19.
Now, we face the difficult task of distributing these finances transparently and for their intended purpose. At the same time, we urgently need to resolve the issue of transforming the main regulatory body, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation Administration (DG CAA), into an Agency, making it a functioning body with staff capacity.
We hope to succeed in making the airline industry a priority for the state, the industry’s administration flexible, digital and fast-working, and the aviation business the most prosperous sector of the economy. These are some of the goals of BAIA.
Other priorities of the association include:
- Establishment of a new Civil Aviation Act;
- Support businesses with building postholding capacity;
- The restoration of Rousse Airport and the resumption of regular domestic services to Sofia, Plovdiv and Burgas;
- Rehabilitation of Burshen airport near Sliven and its transformation into a test site for UAVs;
- Development of a project for U-Space in Bulgaria, UAM systems and their integration into Bulgarian airspace to ensure safe joint traffic;
- Supporting our country’s crucial HEMS project
- Optimization of aviation specialties in domestic educational institutions and attraction of personnel in the aviation business;
- Improving flight safety at all Bulgarian airports;
- Preparations for Aviation Development Forum with invitation of guests from Europe, including EASA
Dear BAIA Members,
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and New Year! I wish you above all health, happiness, luck and warmth in your families !
Sincerely: Todor Ivandjikov
President of BAIA