Berlin Mayor Faces Calls To Resign Over Embarrassing Airport Construction Delays

The project, begun in 2006, was first expected to be completed in 2011, and has been delayed several times since, Reuters reported.

Continued delays and skyrocketing costs have made the project a source of embarrassment for the officials in charge, and have led to calls for Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit to resign.

At a press conference today, Wowereit announced he would give up his position as head of the board that oversees the construction. He said he would not resign as mayor.

The latest delay is due to the improper installation of the fire protection system, which did not follow what the building permit specified, according to Agence France Presse.

The new airport, to be named for Chancellor of West Germany and Nobel Peace Prize winner Willy Brandt, is meant to replace Berlin's aging Tegel and Schoenefeld airports.

In the past few years, estimated costs of construction have more than doubled, to €4.4 billion ($5.8 million), the AP reported.