A new terminal at Skopje's Alexander the Great airport was officially put into function on Friday after air-crafts by "Austrian" and "Edelweiss" airlines landed.

Passengers flying from Vienna to Skopje were welcomed with a glass of Macedonian wine and white roses by Vice PM for Economic Affairs, Vladimir Pesevski, Minister of Transport and Communications Mile Janakieski and representatives of TAV's management.

Vice PM Pesevski said airport's infrastructure was state-of-the-art. "We took the opportunity to welcome passengers from the first flight landing at the terminal in a symbolic fashion," he stated.

By opening the new, modernized airport in Skopje, Pesevski added, a new phase is launched aimed at boosting air traffic in Macedonia. "Efforts will be made about million passengers to arrive in the country as soon as possible and the number to rise to two million in five to ten years' time, hence stimulating tourism, which is one of the strategic branches for the future development of Macedonia," Pesevski said.

Minister Janakieski said he shared the same expectations. "I expect the number of passengers at the Skopje airport to increase remarkably. The new airport truly looks amazing," Janakieski stressed.

The Burger King chain of fast food restaurants opened its first investment in Macedonia at the new airport building that also includes many shops, cafe bars, etc.

The reconstructed airport is ten times bigger than the previous one with a capacity to provide services for four million passengers per year.

Turkey's TAV Airports Holding, which took over the Skopje Airport in March 2010 to manage it in the next 20 years (till March 2030), has invested 100 million euros. Construction works lasted for 18 months.

By adding a new terminal building of 40.000 square meters with six passenger boarding bridges, TAV Airports has increased capacity to 4 million passengers, expanded the runway, as well as the cargo sector and parking space. A cargo hanger with a capacity of 40.000 tons a year, new firefighting station, an administration building boasting 5.000 square meters, parking lot for 1.300 vehicles, 23 check-in counters were constructed, while the existing runway has been expanded for 500 meters.

TAV Airports also invested funds to overhaul St. Paul the Apostle airport in Ohrid.