The founders of Civil Aviation Group that won the contest to privatize the state-owned airline Air Moldova said they repaid over 80% of the airline’s debts. In a press release of Air Moldova, it is said that besides the main debts, there were also paid penalties and percentage on the debts to the state-run companies Moldatsa, Civil Aviation Authority and State Tax Service, to the value of 24 million lei, even if this wasn’t specified in the privatization contract, IPN reports.

The investors significantly reduced the airline’s debts to the foreign partners and restructured the existing debts. At the same time, the state didn’t honor its obligation to increase the statutory capital by 151 million lei. “Despite the multiple accusations aimed at creating a negative image, the investors of Civil Aviation Group and the personnel of Air Moldova continued to work for the benefit of the company and passengers,” says the press release.

This runs that the sequestration of the company’s statutory capital and assets negatively affected the further implementation of the development plan of Air Moldova. The attacks staged by the state bodies continue to create an unfavorable investment climate and hamper the development of the airline.

In the press release, it is also said that in the January 21 meeting of the Supreme Security Council, the director general of Air Moldova presented the investors’ position to continue to implement the investment plan if the attacks on the part of the state are stopped.

After the meeting of the Supreme Security Council earlier this week, President Igor Dodon, referring to Air Moldova, said the investor undertook to pay the company’s debts of 1.2 billion lei and to make investments. According to him, the investor reported that it paid 1 billion lei, but the debts of Air Moldova actually total 1.1 billion lei at present. It was also established that no own investment was made in Air Moldova. As the investor recently announced that it is ready to invest several tens of millions of euros in the company’s share capital, a decision concerning the termination of the contract is to be taken later.