Castellon Airport opening grounded

A LACK of cash in the Francisco Camps-led regional government in Valencia has delayed the opening of the Castellón airport even further. The installations were ‘officially inaugurated’ by Camps and Carlos Fabra, the PP President of the Diputación of Castellón, last March 25, but six weeks on and the facility is still yet to apply for a licence for flights from the Ministry for Development.

Some say the inaugural party took place in March to circumvent legislation that forbids campaigning using such events within a certain time before elections, even though in reality the airport was not actually “open”.

The matter has been made worse by the inability of the Valencia Government to pay €17 million to the company who won the concession to build the airport, El País reports.

‘The debt will be paid before the end of the month or at the start of next month’ said the minister for finance for the Generalitat, Geraldo Camps, who also admitted the existence of the debt.

However,  another  €4 million in overspend on the airport are also owed as are an additional €11 million for the delays in the construction which should have been paid last December.

No one can say exactly when the airport will open “for real”. In the meantime residents of Castellon are frustrated without their promised new facility, but are stoically looking forward to the next party to celebrate the anniversary of the opening of the airport, whether it is actually open, or not.

By Paul Deed