Nepali airspace will soon be removed from EU’s blacklist: Tourism Minister Kirati

Published On: October 5, 2023 06:00 PM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, Oct 5: Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, has announced that Nepal is on track to be off the European Union's (EU) air safety blacklist in the near future. This positive development comes after an audit of Nepal's air safety was conducted by a technical team from the EU.

Minister Kirati expressed confidence during a meeting of the International Relations and Tourism Committee of the House of Representatives that the EU would soon remove Nepal from its security list. He highlighted that the EU's technical team had carried out an on-site audit from September 11 to 15.

Additionally, Minister Kiranti mentioned that a bill regarding the division of authority had been submitted to the Cabinet with the approval of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs.

Nepal's airspace has been on the EU's air safety blacklist since 2013 due to significant aviation security concerns. However, it was removed from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) list of Serious Security Concern (SSC) in July 2017. Minister Kirati attributed this improvement in air security to Nepal's efforts.

During the meeting, Minister Kirati also highlighted the positive financial performance of Nepal Airlines Corporation, the national flag carrier, which had managed to repay a significant amount of debt, totaling Rs 4 billion, due to recent profitable operations. However, he acknowledged that the management of the grounded Y-12 plane posed challenges, including difficulties in operation and leasing, as well as issues related to parking fees and insurance.

Raj Kishor Yadav, president of the committee, emphasized the need to address the current challenges facing the corporation and suggested the formation of a sub-committee to work on long-term solutions. He also called for a thorough investigation and study of the matter, if deemed necessary.

Additionally, during the meeting, the bill to amend the Archives Preservation Act of 2046 was discussed.