The manager of the Chisinau International Airport Avia Invest said the sum of over 22 million lei presented by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as the debt of Avia Invest is actually a part of the penalties deriving from the historical debts of Air Moldova, dating from the period when the airline was under state management, IPN reports.

In a press release published on the Facebook page of the Chisinau International Airport, it is said that Air Moldova’s debts to Avia Invest led to overdue payments to the CAA and the investor of the airport “is now obliged, in a period of profound crisis, to pay penalties due to the fraudulent management of an airline by the state”.

According to Avia Invest, the debt was fully repaid to the CAA, as were a part of the penalties, and the forced execution of the outdating penalties in a period of crisis “shows at least lack of common sense” and reveals “not at all benevolent intentions” towards Avia Invest.

The company noted the sequestration of its accounts by the authorities led to the impossibility of paying salaries to over 600 employees in the conditions of an unprecedented social and economic crisis for Moldova.

The CAA on May 6 said Avia Invest has an outstanding debt of over 22.3 million lei to it. Therefore, on May 5 it asked to start an execution case.