Negotiations For €290 Million EU Aid To Air Malta Still Underway A Year And A Half Later
Discussions with the European Commission regarding further state aid to Malta’s struggling national airline, Air Malta, are still underway more than a year and a half later.
Following a parliamentary question from MP Ivan Castillo, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana revealed that negations over a financial plan submitted by the government are yet to be concluded.
The government asked the EU to provide some €290 million into the airline. But officials in Brussels asked for a more realistic figure.
Still, sources are not optimistic that a deal will come to fruition and could be the final nail in the coffin for the crucial airline.
The government has undergone an extensive restructuring plan at Air Malta to make the airline financially viable.
However, it has run into a massive stumbling block with pilots and other staff, who were promised major golden handshakes upon their retirement from the airline.
Caruana said on ONE TV that it could end up costing the country some €200 million to address this issue.
What do you think will happen with Air Malta?
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