Montenegro competition watchdog to deny airline aid

NEWS FLASH


The Montenegrin Minister for Capital Investment, Mladen Bojanić, has said the Montenegrin Agency for the Protection of Competition will give a negative opinion on the law for the investment and consolidation of the national carrier, which was to see Montenegro Airlines handed 155 million euros over a six-year period and ensure its immediate survival. The implementation of the law, adopted last December, was blocked by the Agency in order for it to study whether it was in line with state aid rules. Montenegro Airlines said yesterday the law’s implementation was crucial for its survival. “I held another round of talks with the management. I concluded there is nothing that can lead to a positive and sustainable outcome for the national carrier. We are not giving up. We will seek for a solution with those who have some concrete proposals, with direct cooperation with representatives of the European Commission”, Mr Bojanić said. In its annual progress reports for those aspiring to join the European Union, the European Commission said this October, “The law granting 155 million euros of state funding to Montenegro Airlines was adopted without a prior decision from the State aid authority, even though this is provided for under national legislation and the Stabilisation and Association Agreement. Montenegro has not yet made payments on the basis of this law. The government, as the initiator of the aid, now needs to provide the State aid authority with the necessary information and time to take a qualified decision and thus to demonstrate its functioning and independence”.

Comments

  1. Anonymous10:34

    Seems the end is near :(

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous10:43

    Really bas news :(

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous11:35

    What does this mean in operational terms? Do they have money for day to day operations?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dorsi13:21

    This is the end, beautiful friend
    This is the end, my only friend
    The end

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous14:39

    Montenegro keeps...eh...

    The logical, yet unfortunate end of a very predictable story. Employees, as sad as it may be for them now, that have neither seen nor felt the need for improvement as the money was flowing into the company every year anyway.
    Incompetent, corrupt and dishonest managers garnished with no expertise in the field of aviation, let alone to speak of transportation.
    The citizens can thank their beloved Milo and his 30 years of family business for this inevitable outcome.
    Get rid of nationalism and pride and start thinking outside the box.
    It couldn‘t have happened at a worse time but then it’s no surprise.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous18:17

    There is absolutely no need for Montenegro Airlines in it's current form, and considering the extremely high rate of seasonality there, no need to set up a successor company. The market will take of the latent demand to the main markets of Serbia, Russia and a few Western European markets. If Wizz would be allowed under the Montenegro-Serbia bilateral agreement to operate there, then it could be at most a 2 aircraft base that would more then cover the void left in the market.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous18:35

      true dat.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous07:18

      Guys, also don't forget that they just had two days with absolutely no income whatsoever. That can't help either. :(

      Delete

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