Markus Klaushoffer, former Chief Executive of Malta International Airport is claiming unfair dismissal, shareholders were told at the company's annual general meeting this morning.
No explanation was ever given for the termination of his appointment earlier this year. MIA directors said that in their view the claim was not well founded. The matter is now before the industrial tribunal.
No information was given as to why he was dismissed.
The directors said there were no plans or considerations to change the current CEO as had been rumoured in some sections of the press.
During the meeting the directors addressed some 40 questions received from shareholders in writing.
They avoided direct answers on questions about the possible sale of shares by Vienna Airport. They insisted this was a shareholder issue and directors or the company had no remit to enter into these matters.
Times of Malta reported this morning that the management was facing a series of questions from MIA shareholders over whether Vienna Airport, the principal shareholder, had been “deeply engaged” in selling its stake.
According to press reports, Vienna Airport and SNC Lavalin, the other principal shareholder, are in the midst of selling their entire shareholding in MIA.
This was denied recently by Vienna airport chief operations officer Julian Jaeger, former CEO at MIA, who dismissed the rumours when asked by this newspaper after the Austrian company’s AGM.
“There were no actual plans to sell our stake in Malta but I can confirm that there were considerations,” Mr Jaeger said, insisting the company was committed to Malta.
However, shareholders are claiming the plan to sell the shareholding by Vienna Airport – which appoints both the chairman and chief executive at MIA – was much more significant than simple “considerations”.
In terms of its agreement with the government, Vienna Airport is free to sell its stake in MIA from 2017, but the Prime Minister said on Reporter last Monday that he had been informed in writing that Vienna Airport were not interested in selling.
In a statement this afternoon, Vienna Airport said it had no plans whatsoever to sell its strategic stake in MIA.
"The management board of Vienna Airport plc clearly denies any rumors and sees it as an attempt to destabilise the airport management teams in Malta and Vienna.
"At present, the legally mandated tender process to fill the positions of the management board members for Vienna Airport plc is underway, in light of the fact that the current terms of office of the management board members expire at the end of September 2016.
"A decision on filling the positions on the management board of Vienna Airport plc is expected to be made by the supervisory board by the summer of 2015, and in any case will not have any effect on the stake held by Vienna Airport plc in Malta International Airport plc," it said in the statement
In reply to other questions, on cash reserves and future projects, directors said this morning the replies requested were too detailed and sought commercially sensitive information that would harm MIAs interests.
When answering another question on revenue from trolley use fees, the company secretary said income was "significantly less than the €100,000" quoted in one of the questions.
When asked whether Air Malta's problems could impact MIA, CEO Alan Borg said Air Malta was a major client for MIA. Regular meetings were being held. If things did not improve at Air Malta there would be a short term impact but he was confident this could be overcome over the medium to long term.
The meeting then approved the financial statements and dividend.