Too many, too expensive and (almost) always entrusted to the same experts. And, at times, requested on operations that are "legally no longer valid". There is the spotlight of the auditors on the external consultancy assignments of the Chamber of Commerce of Cagliari and Oristano for the management of the disputed game ("to date suspended") of the merger of the Sardinian airports. The one on the subject is the only passage in bold, therefore highlighted, of the report of the control body on the 2023 financial statement approved in July by the Largo Carlo Felice entity.
Attention is focused on the privatization process of Sogaer, the management company of the Elmas airport controlled by 94%, which the Chamber of Commerce wants to merge with the airports of Olbia and Alghero, already in the hands of the F2i fund: an operation contested by many parties, which has ended up in the crosshairs of numerous control bodies.
Now comes the auditors' objection. From reading the balance sheets "in particular, the increase of €127,440.72 in the costs for consultants and experts emerges, which as of 12/31/2023 amount to €137,663.94 compared to costs for consultants and experts as of 12/31/2022 equal to €10,223.22", is written in the document. "The Board", continues the report, "notes that the increase in costs for consultants and experts in the 2023 financial year is to be attributed exclusively to the assignments conferred as part of the operation to integrate the Sardinian airports, an operation currently suspended".
In particular , 63,440 euros were spent in favor of Price Water House Coopers Business Services srl for the role of third evaluator of the Chamber's shareholding in So.G.Aer Spa, as part of the industrial integration operation of the Sardinian airport management companies". And a further 12,688 euros in favor of the same company "for the update of the appraisal report with reference to the above-mentioned assignment". Over 40 thousand euros, in two tranches, were allocated in favor of the Grimaldi firm "for the drafting of a legal opinion on the industrial integration operation of the Sardinian airport management companies". This only in 2023. But other sums are planned for the following years. Then there are another 29 thousand euros, for the same firm, charged with the " institution of the Chamber of Commerce in the proceedings initiated before the TAR Sardinia". The subject of the dispute is always the same.
The Board, it is stated, "reserves the right to carry out more in-depth assessments on the matter also due to the fact that as of 30 June 2024, some operations for which the above-mentioned tasks were assigned are no longer legally valid".
Furthermore, «the Board reiterates the recommendations already expressed regarding the need to assign tasks only following the evaluation of several estimates among professionals in the sector, in compliance with the rotation principle».