Austria is no different to Malta in courting controversy over political appointments, with the latest storm hitting Vienna International Airport.
Austrian newspaper Die Presse has questioned why Vienna Airport issued vacancies for two of its top posts when the contracts of those currently in office will expire in 18 months’ time.
The adverts for chief financial officer and chief operating officer appeared in the Austrian press at the end of last month and the deadline for applicants is April 30.
Chairman did not answer when asked why the posts were not widely advertised in English
Vienna Airport is a principal shareholder in Malta International Airport. It has a direct 10 per cent stake in MIA and is the majority shareholder in Malta Mediterranean Link Consortium, which holds 40 per cent of the Maltese airport’s shares. The developments in Austria could have an effect on the structure at MIA, industry sources told Times of Malta last week.
Die Presse has questioned why the posts were not widely advertised in English in aviation magazines, choosing instead to place adverts with a national Austrian newspaper despite the requirements including “long experience in management activities in listed companies”.
In a tongue-in-cheek comment, Die Presse said no one would believe the unorthodox approach to fill in the two posts had something to do with the October elections in Vienna.
The newspaper implied the vacancies were being advertised now to extend the contracts of chief operating officer Julian Jaeger and chief financial officer Günther Ofner before the election.
Die Presse said Mr Jaeger, a former chief executive at MIA, was considered to be close to the centre-left Socialist Party and Mr Ofner close to the centre-right People’s Party.
Vienna city council and the province of Lower Austria each have a 20 per cent stake in Vienna International Airport. While the council is run by the Socialist Party, which won a majority in elections held five years ago, the province is run by the People’s Party that won the elections held in 2013.
A former top executive at MIA told Times of Malta it has always been an open secret that the posts of chairman and chief executive in Malta were filled by people with political affiliations to the two mainstream Austrian parties.
However, that trend was bucked with the appointment earlier this year of Alan Borg as CEO. Mr Borg is the first Maltese national to occupy the post and he replaced Markus Klaushoffer, whose appointment was suddenly terminated for reasons that are unclear.
Vienna Airport chairman Ewald Kirschner told the Austrian newspaper he did not feel it necessary to engage a head hunter, as was previously the case, to engage people for the posts. However, he did not answer when asked why the posts were not widely advertised in English.
kurt.sansone@timesofmalta.com