Slusari: The Commission for Exceptional Situations has the right and is even obliged to appoint a new administration at Air Moldova
In a state of emergency, the authorities must intervene to find solutions for the work of the airline, Air Moldova, after the national carrier cancelled several flights for financial reasons. The opinion belongs to the former vice-president of the legislature, Alexandru Slusari, who argues that, under the current conditions, the Commission for Exceptional Situations has the right and is even obliged to appoint a new administration at Air Moldova.
The former deputy speaker of the Parliament, Alexandru Slusari, claims that the cancellation of flights during the holiday season, when there is an increased flow of passengers, is a diversion of the group led by fugitive oligarch Ilan Șor.
"For five years, the state-owned Air Moldova has been artificially increasing the rate of expenditure in relation to income, as a result of which the viability of the company has been completely compromised. The amount of debt has reached almost 1,300 billion. After that, in the autumn of 2018, a few people with Russian citizenship from Șor's entourage, with 50 million lei in their bags, which through an obscure scheme were transferred from a national insurance company, gained control over the strategic enterprise," Slusari claims.
According to Slusari, under the current conditions, the Commission for Exceptional Situations has the right and is even obliged to initiate a comprehensive investigation into the past years, as well as to appoint a new administration at Air Moldova. The former MP also says that the Prosecutor's Office has a duty to inform the company about the progress of the investigation and the alleged privatisation contest in 2013, in which several rules of the legislation were violated.
On 28 March, Chisinau International Airport passed entirely into state management after it was granted a concession by Avia Invest in 2013.
Over the past month, Air Moldova has cancelled several flights, citing financial reasons and fleet deficiencies. The latest announcement was made on Friday, for flights scheduled between 21 and 25 April.
The company's management has launched negotiations with potential investors to overcome the crisis period. On Thursday, the company's employees filed a petition asking President Maia Sandu to intervene in order to avoid the bankruptcy of the national operator Air Moldova.
The authorities informed that state institutions are monitoring the situation and will come up with information.
