Some questions have been clarified, many are still open

Last week, the members of the conference of the airport made various decisions that are new for the future of the airport in Samedan. You have spoken out for a new embassy project to be put up for voting in June 2025. They have decided that the fate of the heliport will also be voted on, separately and therefore separated from the port project- air And they want the question of the board’s liability to be clarified through a legal opinion.

These are positive decisions. But are they good too? It is clear that regarding the new construction of the heliport for Rega, Heli Bernina and the Swiss helicopter. The fact that active air rescue is extremely important in a tourist mountain area is just as certain as the fact that Rega, due to fleet renewal throughout Switzerland, is completely dependent on a new infrastructure before the end 2026 at the latest.

However, it is not inconceivable that the question of liability is being clarified legally again. When presenting his report on the evaluation of the 2017-2022 project, the lawyer Stefan Wehrenberg came to the conclusion that there was nothing that could be done legally because, despite obvious mistakes by those who responsible, that they were not completely negligent, intentional acts or causal connection. the damage done could be determined. An assessment shared by an expert in constitutional and administrative law in an interview with this newspaper. “There’s nothing else to do but keep a straight face,” she said. It seems that the airport conference sees things differently and is willing to spend extra money on a legal opinion.

But how should we evaluate the decision to continue planning the airport project quickly so that we can vote on a new construction loan in less than a year? Of course, time is of the essence, the infrastructure of the airport is outdated and presents an image that does not in any way match the “Top of the World” claim. Nevertheless, there are still several important questions that need to be clarified. For example, should the public sector have to bear the full cost of the investment and later operating costs.

With the development of a new embassy project, the Infra Administrative Commission (VK Infra) has also undertaken the task of investigating the transfer of Infra activities to private individuals. But this topic is too important and too sensitive without a deep discussion about it. Even if the date of the vote could be delayed.

In general, the neutral observer of the meeting lost the debate among the members of the conference of the airport last Thursday. The possibility of privatisation, the question of clarifying the liability of the board and also the critical and well-grounded comments made by the controlling body would have given this a chance. The demands were pushed through by the community representatives with an almost visible display of unity. As if they were pre-approved. This is not forbidden, but it makes it difficult for outsiders to understand the process of generating important ideas.

A question that needs to be discussed at least in the medium term is whether the structures chosen are suitable for carrying out such complex tasks. The structures are correct and the groups can work with them if they are performing their tasks, it was heard at the meeting. But can they even do that? There is no doubt that the VK Infra, ie the management body, was understaffed for such a project. And it seems just as obvious that many of the members of the airport conference, apart from their knowledge, just don’t have the time to study the matter more deeply. They are and still are largely representatives of their communities with a wide range of municipal activities. At the same time, they are members of the highest body responsible for the airport and often also members of the Upper Engadin Healthcare Foundation Board (SOG). They have to make important decisions everywhere. A difficult balancing act. So a union of Upper Engadine communities and therefore the professionalism of the structures was the right way.

The airport conference made important decisions last week. And the meeting at least gave the impression that there is now cooperation between the responsible groups with the common goal of taking this project forward. Whether this will be successful remains to be seen. There are still too many unanswered questions today to be answered.

Author: Reto Stifel