Former Prime Minister Alfred Sant said the option suggested by the European Commission to compensate for the loss of routes that were serviced by Cyprus Airways, following the latter’s closure, is not a realistic one. Dr. Sant was reacting to a reply given by the European Commission to a parliamentary question in which he asked for information about the routes formerly operated by Cyprus Airways that were no longer in service. European Commissioner Vestager mentioned that such routes could be placed under a public service obligation agreement. However this would be a burdensome approach that would reduce the flexibility that island and other peripheral destinations must retain to promote their tourism. Once again it is being shown that the blind application of state aid rules to peripheral islands and regions is inappropriate.

Dr. Sant asked the Commission to specify which of Cyprus Airways flights have been axed as a result of the restructuring programme allowed by the Commission. He asked the Commission to provide information on whether said flight routes, as well as those left vacant following the airline’s closure, had been taken over by another airline. He asked the Commission to provide information on whether it will allow State/EU intervention in cases where no airline has been interested in taking over a route left vacant by Cyprus Airways, and, if so, how this could be achieved.

Ms. Vestager said that several operators, including Aegean and Ryanair, have announced an increase in their activities to and from Cyprus and introduction of new routes since Cyprus Airways ceased operations. However, Ms. Vestager, said the Commission was not systematically monitoring which specific flights have been added or expanded by individual airlines.

Ms. Vestager said that EU member states wishing to ensure operation of vital air transport routes may use the possibility to establish public service obligations meeting the requirements of the EU’s air services regulation. If any intervention were to involve state aid, the compatibility with EU state aid rules would need to be assessed based on the details of the intervention of the individual case.

Following the Commission’s decision of 9 January 2015 declaring the restructuring aid to Cyprus Airways as incompatible and ordering its recovery, Cyprus Airways stopped operations and discontinued all its flights as of the same date.

 

Maltese Version – Soluzzjoni mhux realistika mill-kummissjoni ewropea dwar ir-rotot ciprijotti

Il-Membru Parlamentari Soċjalista Ewropew Dr Alfred Sant qal li s-soluzzjoni suġġerita mill-Kummissjoni Ewropea biex tagħmel tajjeb għat-telf tar-rotot li qabel kienu jsiru minn Cyprus Airways, wara li din kellha tagħlaq, mhix realistika. Dr Sant kien qed jirreaġixxi għat-tweġiba li tat il-Kummissjoni Ewropea għal mistoqsija parlamentari fejn talab aktar informazzjoni dwar ir-rotot li qabel kienu jsiru minn Cyprus Airways. Il-Kummissarju Ewropew Vestager qalet li dawn ir-rotot jistgħu jitqiegħdu taħt ftehim ta’ obbligazzjoni mis-settur pubbliku. Madanakollu, qal Dr Sant, dan il-metodu jista’ jkun inkrepattiv għax inaqqas il-flessibilita` li tant teħtieġ il-gżira ta’ Ċipru u żoni oħra li jinsabu fil-periferija biex jippromwovu t-turiżmu tagħhom. Għal darb’oħra qed jintwera li meta r-regoli tal-għajnuna tal-istat tal-Unjoni Ewropea jsiru bl-għama, il-gżejjer fil-periferija jintlaqtu ħażin.

Dr Sant staqsa lil Kummissjoni biex tispeċifika liema mit-titjiriet operati minn Cyprus Airways inqatgħu minħabba l-pjan ta’ ristrutturar tal-Kummissjoni. Hu staqsa lil Kummissjoni biex tipprovdi informazzjoni dwar jekk dawn ir-rotot, kif ukoll dawk li tħallew mingħajr operatur wara l-għeluq tal-linja tal-ajru, qed jitwettqu minn linji tal-ajru oħra. Dr Sant staqsa lil Kummissjoni biex tipprovdi informazzjoni dwar hux se tippermetti li jsir intervent mill-istat jew mill-UE f’każijiet fejn ma jkunx hemm linji tal-ajru interessati biex jibdew jaħdmu rotot li tħallew minn Cyprus Airways, u, jekk iva, kif tista’ ssir din il-ħaġa.

Il-Kummissarju Vestager qalet li ħafna operaturi, li jinkludu Aegean u Ryanair, ħabbru żjieda fit-titjiriet minn u lejn Ċipru u introduċew rotot ġodda minn meta falliet Cyprus Airways. Madanakollu, Ms Vestager qalet li l-Kummissjoni ma kinitx qegħda tosserva b’mod sistematiku liema titjiriet żdiedu mil-linji tal-ajru individwali.

Ms Vestager qalet li l-Istati Membri tal-Unjoni Ewropea li jixtiequ jiżguraw li fit-trasport jibqgħu jinħadmu ċertu rotot meqjusa importanti, jistgħu jużaw il-possibilita` li jistabilixxu obbligazzjonijiet mis-servizz pubbliku li jimxu mar-regoli tal-ajru tal-UE. L-interventi li jinvolvu l-għajnuna tal-istat iridu jiġu eżaminati, kull wieħed b’mod individwali u jridu jkunu konformi mar-regoli tal-għajnuna tal-istat tal-UE.

Wara d-deċiżjoni tal-Kummissjoni tad-9 ta’ Jannar 2015 li ddikjarat li l-għajnuna għal Cyprus Airways għar-ristrutturar kienet inkompatibbli mar-regoli tal-UE u ordnat biex jerġgħu jitħallsu lura l-flejjes, Cyprus Airways ma baqgħetx topera u waqqfet it-titjiriet kollha sa minn dik il-ġurnata stess.

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