New airfield in Samedan GR Planners are wasting millions of taxpayers' money - allegations of felting
The costs for the renovation of the Samedan GR airfield have exploded. A report reveals the failure of the responsible bodies.
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- Since the approval of a loan by the people in 2017, the costs for the renovation of the Samedan airfield in the Engadin have skyrocketed.
- An SP councillor accuses the people responsible of mismanagement and a lack of transparency.
- A report confirms her criticism.
In 2017, the people of the Upper Engadin approved CHF 22 million for the renovation of Samedan airfield. But that's all in the past: those responsible are now planning with a budget of CHF 88 million - without any construction having taken place to date.
The costs for expert opinions and planning alone have already swallowed up 5.5 million francs - taxpayers' money that is probably lost. "This is the felt", says Franziska Preisig, a member of the Graubünden SP council, to the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper.
Samedan airfield belongs to the Engadin municipalities. Local politicians and local entrepreneurs sit on the responsible committees. They planned the airfield and supervised each other.
Report confirms concerns
Preisig and her fellow campaigners criticized the lack of due diligence and launched a petition. The aim: the original budget of CHF 22 million should be adhered to.
A report by Zurich lawyer Stefan Wehrenberg confirms the concerns: according to the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper, it shows that the planners "massively" exceeded their authority. The municipalities did not exercise their supervisory function sufficiently and let the planners get away with it.
According to the report, there was also a lack of transparency: documentation was inadequate, data was incorrectly filed and entries in the commercial register were incorrect. As a result, people remained authorized signatories who had long since ceased to be.
The project manager also acted without an official mandate and was also the managing director of the operating company. "Adequate management and control was not possible," the report states. Even the Audit Committee did not submit its first report until six years after the start of the project.
Those responsible admit mistakes
According to the "Engadiner Post ", the report speaks of a "collective failure of all the bodies involved". The accused themselves admit that mistakes were made and that they were too uncritical. Measures will now be taken to prevent similar mistakes from happening again.
Franziska Preisig is not satisfied with this: "You can't just talk about a collective failure. This is at least a case of grossly negligent behavior - and systematic," she is quoted as saying by the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper. A comprehensive investigation is needed.
Reminiscent of the construction cartel
The case is reminiscent of the construction cartel in the Engadin: for years, contractors passed orders to each other. Many looked the other way. Preisig was also criticized for her commitment: she was treated with hostility and her professional position was threatened.
The new airport should actually have been completed by 2021. However, no shovel has moved yet. But the Engadin municipalities are sticking to the project, as the valley's luxury hotel industry is dependent on the airport, which is mainly used by private jets.
A referendum is to be held in 2025 to decide on an increased planning credit.
