Sardinia's airport merger, ANAC's beacon: concessions at risk

The ANAC has written it clearly: there is an obligation "to call for tenders in the event that a publicly held company opens its capital to the contribution of a private shareholder, through a share sale or capital increase."

And it is precisely the "tender process" that is missing from the privatization of Sogaer (the company that manages Cagliari-Elmas Airport), spearheaded by the Chamber of Commerce —current majority shareholder—which aims to merge the three Sardinian airports (the other two being Alghero and Olbia) under the control of the F2i Ligantia fund. At risk, according to a cross-reading of the regulations and the opinion of the Anti-Corruption Authority, is the concession to manage the Mario Mameli Airport, which could be lost.

Regardless of the (crucial) legal assessment, what would be the consequences of these shareholder upheavals in the governance of Sardinia's gateways? "The efficiency of the airports and the Sardinians' right to mobility have nothing to do with it. The privatization and merger of Sardinian airport management is a cynical operation of business, money, and power." This is the conviction of former regional transport councilor Antonio Moro, who opposed the airport merger, even taking it to court.