Cyprus Airways’ Closure Remains a Headache for Brussels

The closure of Cyprus Airways and the European Commission’s decision on “illegal state aid” remains a headache for Brussels, since the Maltese MEP and former Prime Minister Alfred Sant has submitted questions on the National Cypriot airline’s demise through a series of written queries, to European Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager. This was disclosed by the influential Cypriot newspaper The Liberal, the oldest and largest Greek-language daily newspaper in circulation on the island.
The Cypriot journal reports that Alfred Sant criticised harshly the decision of Brussels on the closure of Cyprus Airways and especially the lack of political will to maintain the connectivity especially in not so competitive routes on islands, which are member states of the EU.

The journal said that the Maltese MEP has so far submitted two related questions to EC Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager emphasizing the negative impact on the air connectivity of Cyprus with the rest of Europe.

The Liberal says that major media in Malta reported Dr Sant’s strong criticism at the European Commission, stressing that the solution of “state-subsidized flights” on vital routes proposed by Brussels after the closure of Cyprus Airways “is not realistic” and that it is “a burdensome approach which would reduce the flexibility of islands and other peripheral destinations, which have to maintain and promote their tourism. Once again it is proved, that the blind application of rules on state aid for island regions are an inappropriate policy”.

Maltese Version – L-GĦELUQ TA’ CYPRUS AIRWAYS TIBQA’ UĠIGĦ TA’ RAS GĦAL BRUSSELL

L-għeluq ta’ Cyprus Airways u d-deċiżjoni tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea li l-għajnuna tal-istat li ngħatat kienet ‘illegali’ tibqa’ uġigħ ta’ ras għal Brussell, speċjalment wara li l-Membru Parlamentari Ewropew u ex Prim Ministru Malti Alfred Sant għamel sensiela ta’ mistoqsijiet parlamentari dwar l-għeluq sfurzat tal-linja nazzjonali tal-ajru Ċiprijotta. Il-mistoqsijiet kienu indirizzati lill-Kummissarju tal-Kompetizzjoni Margrethe Vestager. Dan kien żvelat mill-gazzetta Ċiprijotta Φιλελεύθερος, (The Liberal), l-eqdem gazzetta Ċiprijotta u l-iktar waħda influwenti fost il-gazzetti li joħorġu kuljum bil-Grieg f’Ċipru.
Il-Ġurnal Ċiprijott irrapporta kif Dr Alfred Sant ikkritika bl-aħrax id-deċiżjoni ta’ Brussell li Cyprus Airways tagħlaq, u kkritika n-nuqqas ta’ rieda politika biex tkun sostnuta l-konnettivita`, speċjalment f’dawk ir-rotot ta’ pajjiżi gżejjer, li m’humiex daqshekk kompetittivi u li huma stati membri tal-UE.
Il-Ġurnal Ċiprijott qal li l-Membru Parlamentari Malti staqsa żewġ mistoqsijiet, fuq l-istess suġġett, lill-Kummissarju tal-Kompetizzjoni Margrethe Vestager fejn enfasizza l-impatt negattiv fuq il-konnettivita’ ta’ Ċipru mal-kumplament tal-Ewropa.

The Liberal qal li l-aktar mezzi importanti tax-xandir f’Malta rrapportaw il-kritika ħarxa ta’ Dr Sant lejn il-Kummissjoni Ewropea fejn saħaq li s-soluzzjoni li qed tipproponi Brussell wara l-għeluq sfurzat ta’ Cyprus Airways, dik ta’ ‘titjiriet sussidjati mill-istat’ fuq rotot li huma importanti ‘mhix realistika’ u hija soluzzjoni inkrepattiva li se tkompli tnaqqas il-flessibilita` tal-istati gżejjer u ta’ destinazzjonijiet periferjali oħra li jeħtiġilhom isostnu u jippromwovu t-turiżmu. ‘Għal darb’oħra qed jintwera li l-politika tal-Unjoni Ewropea mhix effettiva meta jkunu implimentati r-regoli tal-għajnuna tal-istat bl-għama.’ Qal Dr. Sant.