Merger of the Sardinian airports, the clash has begun before the TAR

The first hearing was held before the TAR on the appeal presented by Confcommercio Sud Sardegna - and in which the Region was also associated - against the involvement of Cagliari airport in the merger with the other airports in the north of the island, Olbia and Alghero: the judge of the Regional Administrative Court will examine the matter on its merits in the coming months.

The appellants' lawyers had not requested the suspension because, explains Aristide Police, one of the lawyers following the appeal, "the effects are already suspended by the ruling of the Court of Auditors".

If the Cagliari-Oristano Chamber of Commerce were to issue a new resolution, managing to overcome the objections of the accounting judges, the lawyers - explains Police - are ready to present a precautionary request to the TAR for the suspension of the provision.

It is difficult to predict the timing of the hearing on the merits. The complaint requests the annulment - subject to the adoption of suitable precautionary measures - of the resolution adopted by the council of the Cagliari-Oristano Chamber of Commerce last September. The one which, we read in the appeal, «provides for the transfer of the shareholding held in Sogaer by the Chamber of Cagliari-Oristano to the transferee company Ligantia spa (parent company of Geasar spa and Sogeaal spa, concessionaires of the Olbia and Alghero airports respectively) following a capital increase of F2i Ligantia spa , with the exclusion of the option right, reserved for the Chamber of Cagliari-Oristano".

Upon completion of the operation, the holding company (F2i Ligantia) - we read in the document - will hold the majority shareholdings in the management companies of the three Sardinian airports, while the Chamber of Cagliari-Oristano will have the minority share of 40.5%.

«With this operation», according to the appeal, «the Chamber relinquishes the management of the essential strategic structure for the development of the territorial district of competence, where F2i Sgr will cover the role of industrial partner responsible for the operation (management) and development (industrial program ) of the infrastructures (Cagliari Elmas airport) involved".

(Unioneonline)