Montenegro's Prime Minister, Duško Marković, has instructed the country's Minister of Transport and Maritime Affairs, Osman Nurković, to promptly prepare and submit to government, a detailed report on the current financial status of national carrier, Montenegro Airlines (Podgorica).
The directive follows reports in the local press that co-pilots at the state-owned airline staged an unofficial strike last week in protest at unpaid salaries. According to a statement to Radio Television of Serbia (PTC), the Montenegrin civil aviation authority (Agencija za Civilno Vazduhoplovstvo - ACV) has since undertaken an investigation of the airline to determine the impact, if any, on its safety oversights.
"Based on preliminary information, we can not conclude that there was any threat to traffic safety," the ACV's Director (Aviation Safety), Mileta Nikolic, said. "However, our supervisors and inspectors have increased their level of engagement in the affairs of the carrier and, if necessary, will take all available legal measures."
According to Serbia's Novosti news site, given the absence of flight crews and that only two of its three E195s and one of its two Fokker 100s are operational, Montenegro Airlines is set to lease in ad-hoc capacity from codeshare partner Air Serbia (JU, Belgrade) in the next few days.
Eager to relieve itself of the constant burden of supporting the loss-making airline, the Montenegrin government has drawn up plans to privatise Montenegro Airlines. Earlier this month, Minister Nurkovic told public broadcaster RTCG that as part of any initiative, government would retain majority control of the airline selling only 50% minus one share to prospective strategic investors.
