Reconstruction of the Sliač airport should begin early next year. This was announced by the Minister of Defence Martin Sklenár. The strategic airport will be prepared for the arrival of new F-16 fighter jets. The purchase of American F-16 fighter jets was approved by the government of Petr Pellegrini in 2018. Then Defence Minister Peter Gajdoš said that they needed 55 million euros for the reconstruction.
According to him, the construction should have been completed in 2022. But the pandemic and the war in Ukraine have increased the price tag. The Ministry of Defence is reconstructing the airport in three stages - as part of national projects and NATO's security investment programme. However, the main and most expensive part of the work is being carried out by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation agency NSPA - at a cost of €126 million.
However, the Ministry of Defence estimates that the price of the projects will be reduced. But the final price will depend on the results of the procurement and the contracts awarded. The Ministry assumes that the complete reconstruction of the airport could cost around €177 million.
Source: TASR
