Eurocontrol allocates first tranche of financial assistance to UkSATSE

KYIV. Feb 16 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine has received the first tranche of assistance from the Aeronautical Solidarity Fund, founded with the assistance of member states of the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol), UkSATSE and the Ministry of Restoration reported on Facebook on Thursday.

“In particular, such support will make it possible to take effective measures for the functioning of the air navigation infrastructure and support the competence of operational specialists. This is a prerequisite for returning to the full provision of services by the national air navigation service provider,” UkSATSE said, which is the national air navigation service provider.

The size of the first tranche was not disclosed. Earlier it was reported that 41 Eurocontrol member states at the end of November last year announced the creation of two voluntary solidarity funds to support member states in air traffic crises for reasons beyond their control: the first is a donation fund for Ukraine and Moldova in the amount of EUR 46.5 million and the second in the form of a EUR 46.1 million loan to Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland.

Assistance from the fund will allow, during the suspension of flights in the airspace of Ukraine, to provide support for the operational activities of UkSATSE and lay the foundations for the restoration of services in the post-war period, the Ministry of Restoration said.

Eamonn Brennan, Director General of Eurocontrol, noted that everyone understands the huge impact of Putin’s war of conquest against Ukraine on air travel on the European continent, so the creation of funds will help maintain the viability of air traffic control in any state that is experiencing such an impact now and in the future.

The state enterprise UkSATSE was established in 1992. It provides a full range of air navigation services.