The Region's move - which came after weeks of backroom negotiations - has surprised everyone a bit: the possible entry into the holding company of the Sardinian airports, promoted by the Cagliari Chamber of Commerce and the F2i fund , is not convincing also because it would represent a green light for privatization of Sogaer (Elmas), the last air transport fort on the island remaining under public control.
To the contrary voices of Confcommercio and Federalberghi Sud Sardegna are now added the – very harsh – voice of the CGIL : «It is surprising to learn that the Region» has expressed its desire to join the single company, «in the wake of a process of privatization and concentration that the administration the public should instead reject it ", attacks the general secretary Fausto Durante .
«Our opinion was and remains negative and certainly cannot be overturned by the hypothesis of the Region's entry into the holding company, through the transfer of a residual part of the shares to private individuals . Indeed, it would be rather strange if the Region endorsed a process that favors the passage of control of Sardinia's airports from public hands to private entities."
Yet the letter sent to the Chamber of Commerce in recent days leaves no doubt. Viale Trento has also allocated with a change in the budget the money that would be used to acquire the shares of the single company which would also include the Sardinia Foundation and the Blackrock fund: there are 42 million euros available . A sum that can allow you to get your hands on 5%, action plus action less, given that the three airports are valued at around 850 million euros .
An estimate in which Sogaer weighs about half: «Today in the management company of Cagliari airport the majority of company shares are held by a public body, the Chamber of Commerce of Cagliari and Oristano. From what is known, in the future holding company the shares of this entity would be sold to a private entity, the F2i investment fund".
For the union there is already an insurmountable preliminary issue here: "We are not in favor of this transition of management and control from the public to the private sector , especially in a strategic sector such as that of airport transport."