In order to “take care of travelers without solutions”, the Haute-Corse prefecture opened a gymnasium on Thursday evening to welcome passengers stranded at Bastia airport

Corsica paralyzed: conflict over port and airport management

Corsica is plunged into a climate of tension, caused by a disagreement between the Collectivité de Corse and the State over the future management of the island’s port and airport infrastructures. On Thursday, October 4, a spontaneous strike brought the island’s four airports and six ports to a standstill, leaving several hundred travellers distraught. The movement was initiated by the Corsican Workers’ Union (STC) of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), in response to the State’s position, which local authorities deemed unacceptable.

In response to the crisis, the Haute-Corse prefecture opened a gymnasium in Bastia on Thursday evening to provide temporary accommodation for stranded passengers.

A tug-of-war over infrastructure governance

The origin of the conflict goes back to an extraordinary general meeting of the Corsican Chamber of Commerce and Industry, during which Alexandre Patrou, Secretary General for Corsican Affairs, presented the State’s proposal to create two Syndicats Mixtes Ouverts (SMOs) for ports and airports by the end of the year.

Under the planned statutes, these new structures would grant concessions to the CCI, enabling it to continue managing the infrastructure beyond January 1, 2025. However, this configuration was perceived as a “legal risk” by the State, triggering the ire of the President of Corsica’s Executive Council, Gilles Simeoni.

Gilles Simeoni’s firm reaction

Gilles Simeoni, the island’s political strongman, reacted strongly, denouncing what he saw as a betrayal by the State:
*It’s a declaration of war and I repeat, for me it’s non-negotiable, there will be no international groups managing Corsica’s ports and airports”,* he declared, castigating the State for having taken a decision ‘on the sly’, without prior consultation, and for having reneged on its commitments.

The State attempts to defuse the situation

Faced with rising tensions, Corsican Prefect Amaury de Saint-Quentin was keen to allay concerns, stating that the State had *”no opposition ”* to entrusting the management of infrastructures to SMOs, but stressed that this management must imperatively be done **directly** to avoid any legal risk. He also denied any intention to privatize the island’s ports and airports: “There is no desire to entrust management to private groups”,* he insisted.

A conflict of interest coupled with a financial battle

Behind this debate on infrastructure governance lies a financial issue. Gilles Simeoni is asking the French government for an additional **50 million euros** to offset inflation and guarantee territorial continuity between the island and the mainland. This request adds a further dimension to the tug-of-war between Paris and the island community.

For the time being, the Isle of Beauty remains paralyzed, while the future of its port and airport management remains uncertain.