Italy’s Milano Malpensa airport, the country’s second busiest air hub, has been officially renamed after the scandal-prone former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.
The airport will now be known as Malpensa-Silvio Berlusconi International Airport after Italy’s civil aviation authority (ENAC) this month approved a request by the Lombardy region (of which Milan is the capital) to rename the airport in honour of Berlusconi, who died last year aged 86.
The former political leader and media mogul was a highly divisive figure whose public and personal life sparked controversy. In 2012, he was convicted of tax fraud and sentenced to four years’ imprisonment (of which he served one year due to a general pardon) and a five-year ban from public office. In 2013, he was also found guilty of paying for sex with an under-age prostitute and abusing his power but was later acquitted in Italy’s court of appeals.
Malpensa airport is considered the most important air hub in northern Italy and the name change has fuelled debate across the country.
Milan mayor, Beppe Sala, has condemned the move and, according to local newspaper reports, has expressed doubts over ENAC’s lack of “institutional courtesy” since SEA, the group that manages Malpensa airport, was not advised of the name change prior to an announcement made by transport minister Matteo Salvini last Friday.
Nine municipal councils in the Malpensa area have also opposed the name change in a regional court appeal after claiming they were not consulted on the decision.
The airport’s name change will take immediate effect, according to reports, but its IATA code – MXP – will remain the same.