In the struggle over whether the state of Carinthia will use the call option at Klagenfurt Airport or not, there has not yet been a solution. On Wednesday, a special state parliament requested by the opposition dealt with the issue.
The ÖVP, which is represented as a junior partner in the state government, insists that the airport should again become majority state property. The supervisory board of Kärntner Beteiligungsverwaltung decided that the call option should be exercised. However, the mandataries nominated by the SPÖ and FPÖ moved out before the vote. In general, the approval of the state parliament is required.
The SPÖ, which forms the state government together with the ÖVP, has severely criticized the government partner's actions. “All questions about how things should continue after the call option has been exercised have not been clarified. There is no serious estimate of how high the impending legal costs could be. The only thing that is certain is that the Carinthian taxpayers would have to bear the costs of this year-long legal dispute. Also, no one knows how the 104 employees at the airport will continue. The contents of the ominous 'Plan B' are also completely unclear. Of course, the number of passengers should be increased and new airlines should be brought to Klagenfurt - but the crucial point is how exactly that should happen? And where is the necessary investment capital supposed to come from?” said SPÖ Carinthia club chairman Herwig Seiser.
The ÖVP intends to bring about a decision at the state government level on May 17, 2022. In addition one wants to introduce a so-called government act. The SPÖ, which provides the governor, will most likely not agree. Seiser: “In short: A decision at the current time would be an absolute blind flight, which includes the risk of a disastrous crash landing. There is no suitable basis for making a decision about a call option in the responsibility for the airport, its employees and their families and for the federal state of Carinthia as a whole".
The ÖVP relies on a legal opinion which, to put it simply, states that the corona pandemic cannot be used as an “excuse” for reduced passenger numbers. The majority owner Lilihill sees it completely differently. He already announced that legal action would be taken and that claims for damages would be asserted.
Governor Peter Kaiser (SPÖ) has now suggested that developments in 2022 should be awaited. If less than 100.000 travelers use the airport again this year, the call option could be used in the coming year. Comprehensive analyzes would be necessary beforehand in order to be able to minimize or rule out any claims for damages. The ÖVP sees things differently, because they want to stick to their own schedule and bring up the issue of pulling the call option within the state government on May 17, 2022.