Ulster Unionist Economy spokesperson Steve Aiken OBE MLA has said that the Economy Minister must make a statement today on how the Belfast to Newark United Airlines flight has come to be scrapped after the EU blocked a £9million package to retain it.
Steve Aiken OBE MLA said:
“This is an international embarrassment. Simon Hamilton must make a statement today as we need to know how this happened.
“We will be pursuing this by all available means, including by submitting an Urgent Oral Question to the Assembly for Monday morning. The Minister and his Department have questions to answer over how this was allowed to happen.
“We need to know what checks were made with the European Union over state aid and who took the decision that it was not an issue?
“This is a huge blow to our international standing and the Minister must tell us what he intends to do to sort it out.”