State enterprise Air Traffic Control (ATC) officially opened this week its new simulator for training of air traffic controllers. The official ceremony was attended by Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Ivaylo Moskovski, his deputy Valery Borissov and the Director General of the company Georgi Peev.
Air traffic controllers will now be trained in one of the most modern high-tech simulators available. This is another modern facility put into service by ATC after two years ago it opened one of the most advanced control towers in Europe – that of Sofia Airport . The potential of the simulator is great because it can be used both for purposes of Civil Aviation and Air Force of Bulgaria. It can train also controllers from other countries, and its potential is to be presented to different partners. This is a good business opportunity that could generate additional revenue for the company, said Moscovski.
The new complex was built by one of the leaders of the world market for the production of simulators – British company MICRONAV. The financing of the project is entirely with own funds of the programme for investment and development of air traffic control, and the total value of the contract is over 5 million levs. The trainer is provided with digital models of the main airports in Bulgaria.
Meanwhile, the BANKER found out that Mr. Moscovski has made changes to the board of directors of ATC. The management body said goodbye to appointed during the government of Oresharski Atilla Yucel (of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms) and also to Georgi Dimitrov – who replaced Anton Djadjev during the cabinet Bliznashki. At their places landed Desislava Zamfirova which was Head of Office of Mr. Tsvetan Tsvetanov during his time as Interior Minister in the previous cabinet of Boyko Borissov, and Vesela Vasileva Karamileva-Todorova. She is from Dobrich, where from 2007 to 2011 she was a municipal councilor of GERB and was elected chairperson of the Standing Committee on Budget, Finance and Tax Policy in the local parliament. She is the wife of the former Deputy Director of the National Revenue Agency Todor Todorov. His name became widely known on 24 March 2009 after the then TV debate between teams of then-Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev and Boyko Borisov. Todorov appeared as an economic expert of GERB, but hours later Stanishev pointed him as a person against whom there had been initiated procedures by the state prosecution and reports had been sent to the Parliamentary Committee for Combating Corruption over alleged concealing of tax violations and participation in schemes for VAT draining.
Moskovski made one more appointment – as of this week his advisor in the political office will be Emanuela Spassova. She will consult on the development of different transport modes and e-governance. Over the past five years Spassova, who graduated from the University of Forestry Engineering, was twice a member of the Standing Committee on Transport, Information Technology and Communications in the National Assembly.
