A proposal by the majority of the Icelandic parliament's finance committee to sell Keflavík International Airport to private investors has drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders. The profits from the potential sale would be used to finance the national transport system.
According to the proposal, the Icelandic government would sell off its assets in Keflavík, including the airport building itself. The proposal was included in the committee's evaluation of a proposed five year financial plan put forth by the government.
Two government ministers for tourism and transport have recently declared themselves open to privatization of the airport.
Foreign operators have shown an interest
Oddný G. Harðardóttir, committee member for the Social Democratic Alliance (Samfylkingin) and former finance minister, told local news site Vísir that the proposal was a symptom of an absurd economic policy by the center-right government.
The public assets at Keflavík airport are estimated to be worth around 200 billion ISK. According to Vísir, big foreign airport operators have already shown an interest in taking over at Keflavík. Those operators would have the financial wherewithal to buy the airport from the government.
I believe the most important gate in and out of the country should be publicly run and it should not be bought and sold, Oddný told Vísir.
Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson, leader of the centrist Progressive Party, told Vísir that any attempt to privatize the airport would be met with full force in parliament.
A proposal by the majority of the Icelandic parliament's finance committee to sell Keflavík International Airport to private investors has drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders. The profits from the potential sale would be used to finance the national transport system.
According to the proposal, the Icelandic government would sell off its assets in Keflavík, including the airport building itself. The proposal was included in the committee's evaluation of a proposed five year financial plan put forth by the government.
Two government ministers for tourism and transport have recently declared themselves open to privatization of the airport.
Foreign operators have shown an interest
Oddný G. Harðardóttir, committee member for the Social Democratic Alliance (Samfylkingin) and former finance minister, told local news site Vísir that the proposal was a symptom of an absurd economic policy by the center-right government.
The public assets at Keflavík airport are estimated to be worth around 200 billion ISK. According to Vísir, big foreign airport operators have already shown an interest in taking over at Keflavík. Those operators would have the financial wherewithal to buy the airport from the government.
I believe the most important gate in and out of the country should be publicly run and it should not be bought and sold, Oddný told Vísir.
Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson, leader of the centrist Progressive Party, told Vísir that any attempt to privatize the airport would be met with full force in parliament.
