Kuwait Airways execs face prosecution

A committee of MPs found evidence of airline officials

Kuwaiti MPs have called for a report that has found evidence of wrongdoing by executives of the country’s national airline to be handed over to the public prosecutor.

The recommendation came on Tuesday during a meeting of the National Assembly to approve the annual budget of state-owned Kuwait Airways.

Several of the airline’s board members, including chairman Sheikh Talal Mubarak al-Sabah, stand accused of committing financial and administrative irregularities following a two-year investigation.

A committee of MPs found evidence of airline officials "squandering public funds", but would not reveal further details on the irregularities it had discovered.

MPs also requested that the government re-form Kuwait Airways’ board in light of the report’s findings.

The National Assembly approved both recommendations, with thirty MPs voting in favour, while 12 others, mostly ministers, opposed it.

The assembly also passed the airline’s budget for 2007/2008, with a 23 in favour, 18 against and two abstentions.

The budget forecasts a deficit of $35.4 million on revenues of $905.2 million and expenditure of $940.6 million.

Kuwait Airways has been in the red for 16 of its last 17 financial years and has accumulated losses in excess of $2 million.

On Wednesday MPs are expected to debate a government-sponsored bill to take Kuwait Airlines public by selling off some of its shares.

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