Company seeks to stop Enemalta privatisation

Attard Services Ltd has appealed from a decision of the First Hall of the Civil Court not to stop the government from privatising services offered by Enemalta, particularly aircraft refuelling.

Attard Service Ltd had argued in a request for a warrant of prohibatory injunction against the Finance Minister and the chairman of Enemalta, that privatisation of this service could be detrimental to it.

In its arguments, the company pointed out that In 2003, the government had published a legal notice in line with an EU directive to introduce a second operator for aircraft refuelling.

Tenders were issued by Malta International Airport in 2004 and Attard Services Ltd won the right to be the second operator. It had been asked to negotiate with Enemalta access to the existing refuelling infrastructure at the airport.

But Attard Services argued that Enemalta retained a monopoly by quoting excessive prices for such use. The Malta Resources Authority, however, had found everything in order.

The company said that privatisation of Enemalta could mean that it would lose its right to provide airport services.