Olympic sale must go ahead
There is no reason why the European Union’s probe into illegal state subsidies for Olympic Airways should delay the airline’s privatization, European Commission Vice President Loyola de Palacio said on a visit to Thessaloniki yesterday. De Palacio, whose portfolio includes energy, transport and relations with the European Parliament, arrived in Thessaloniki yesterday to speak at the annual meeting of the Federation of Industries of Northern Greece (SVVE). She also held talks last night on energy issues with Development Minister Akis Tsochadzopoulos, who has also been invited to speak at SVVE’s meeting and the annual meeting of the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank, which starts on Sunday. De Palacio told local Makedonia newspaper that Olympic’s viability depends on the rigorous observation of Community regulations. The EU probe comes on the heels of a failed attempt to privatize the company, which lasted more than a year. The state has cut several flights in order to keep the company afloat. Among those flights are Thessaloniki’s direct connections with several European cities, a measure that has sparked considerable anger among the inhabitants of Greece’s second city, who are now obliged to travel abroad with a stopover in Athens. Asked about those cuts, de Palacio replied that they were «part of an air carrier’s commercial policy. The Commission does not, and should not, interfere in those decisions.» She nonetheless expressed the wish that a way be found to restore direct flights between Thessaloniki and other European cities. De Palacio also referred to the Maritime Safety Organization, an EU body to be set up in the near future. Piraeus is among the candidate cities for the organization’s headquarters. De Palacio said this is a decision for member states to make and that the Commission would not intervene.
