Airport Is Getting Ready To Receive Guests

On 1 July The Supervisory Committee Held Its Regular Meeting At The Airport

	Dzintars Pommers is giving the Supervisory Committee members a detailed report on the reception of the guests of the EBRD Annual Meeting at the airport terminal and VIP hall
	The reconstruction model of the International Airport Riga
	The members of the Supervisory Committee have decided to raise funds to upgrade the technical procedure of passport control to become fast and efficient

Dzintars Pommers Sounds Optimistic

Dzintars Pommers (first from the right) assures Selga Laizane, Roberts Zile and Janis Naglis that customs and passport control at Riga airport is fast and proper, with no delays

Numerous guests who arrive in Riga day in, day out, using the services provided by airlines, gain very first impression of the city and country itself on landing at the International Airport Riga.

We asked Dzintars Pommers, President of the International Airport "Riga", who is also a member of the Supervisory Committee for the organisation of the EBRD Board of Governors' Meeting in Riga whether the airport would be ready to receive the guests and participants of the Meeting next May.

I consider it ready. About two thirds of the guests and participants of the Annual meeting are expected to arrive by plane and we are ready to welcome them at the airport Riga.

A new arrival hall, much larger and more convenient than the previous one, is planned to have been built by that time. At present construction works, which will have to be completed by the end of the year, are well under way. We are getting ready to receive about seventy top level officials who will be granted special VIP escort and service. As distinct from other countries, Latvia would like to reduce the number of passengers requiring VIP service as the regular procedure of customs and passport control is duly fast and proper, causing no delay. I think that our passengers will be satisfied since the airport staff have had enough experience in receiving a steady flow of passengers.

The EBRD Board of Governors’ Meeting in London earlier this year was attended by two officials from Riga airport - Zinta Ekmane, Manager of VIP Service, and Jazeps Ceics, Vice-president for Aviation Safety. What experience has been gained and how will it be made use of at the airport?

It should be noted that Latvia, as a rule, is apt to give a warmer and more hospitable welcome to her guests than bigger countries. In London our officials met with the representatives from the countries which hosted the previous EBRD Annual Meetings and discussed all possible problems, such as safety issues, which had arisen earlier in Sophia, St.Petersburg and Kiev. These problems were analysed and solutions sought for so as to avoid them in Riga. Careful considerations should be given to the number of people to be granted VIP service as the possible reduction in the number of such persons would ensure better compliance with airport formalities.

A loan granted to the airport “Riga” was the first project carried out by the EBRD in Latvia. What is the co-operation with the EBRD like now?

We were the first enterprise in Latvia to receive an EBRD loan to upgrade infrastructure. In 1993, we were granted a loan of about USD 12 million which was used to upgrade the runway. The term of repayment of the loan is 15 years. The new runway is the heart of the airport and we are appreciative of co-operation with the EBRD.

In course of time both the bank’s interest rates and the economic situation in this country have changed. Our enterprise was a pioneer in establishing such relationship with a foreign bank. It is much easier to do it nowadays.

What is your opinion about the proceeding of the process of organising the EBRD Board of Governors’ Meeting?

To my greatest satisfaction, such buildings as the Riga Latvian Society House, the University of Latvia and the Riga Congress Centre will be renovated, as well as the city centre. Latvia has to show itself to the advantage once it has been chosen to host such an event. I am in charge of everything going on at the airport – receptions and departures, since the airport is responsible for the first and last impression of this country. These are going to be six hard days for all our employees and my duty is to see that the guests of Riga return home satisfied.