The Slovenian government has compiled a list of routes it plans to subsidise out of Ljubljana Airport in a bid to bolster connectivity. The list of destinations is to be revealed shortly, after which a public call will be issued to select airlines willing to operate the services. The country’s Minister for Infrastructure, Alenka Bratušek, said, “Next week we expect to adopt a program where these destinations will be determined. We are waiting and hoping that we will also get the consent of the European Commission as soon as possible, because according to European rules we need their approval”. Since the subsidies will constitute state aid, the executive branch of the EU must give it the all-clear.
The Slovenian government has adopted a bill allocating 5.6 million euros per year for three years in subsidies for airlines to launch new routes and boost frequencies on existing services. The incentives will amount to up to 50% of the carrier’s airport fees in Slovenia. This is to address complaints, made primarily by budget airlines, that charges at Ljubljana Airport are too high. The government initially wanted to finalise the process by the start of the 2023 summer season, which begins on March 26, however, this now seems unlikely. “The objective of the proposed bill is to improve Slovenia’s air connectivity by preserving existing and promoting the establishment of new regular air routes to and from Slovenia”, Ms Bratušek said.
Commenting on the government’s ongoing study whether to establish a new national carrier, the Minister noted, “There is a lot of data and a lot of things that need to be checked because I think we have a duty to tell our citizens how much it will cost our country in the end if we decide to set up a new airline”. She added, “This study will also take into account the fact that Slovenia is poorly connected, its effects on the economy, tourism, etc. In short, we want to have very clear data in front of us before deciding, because we think this is the only way a responsible choice can be made”.
Source : ExyuAviation
