Slovenian government looking for a partner to restart the national airline

The Slovenian government is reconsidering the establishment of a new national carrier with a private partner and has temporarily set aside seventy million euros for the project as part of measures to mitigate and eliminate the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. The plan provides both subsidies and repayable funds, meaning the state can be involved in establishing the carrier or participating in its establishment in a variety of ways, such as loans and capital, the Slovenian Economy Ministry said.

The economy ministry added that various private individuals are interested in co-operating with the state in establishing a national airline, including local companies, as well as Croatia Airlines, but a decision on the partnership has not yet been made. Late last year, following the bankruptcy of Adria Airways, the Slovenian state-owned banking asset management company (BAMC) drew up a business plan for a potential new national airline in the country. According to that proposal, the carrier will allegedly operate a fleet of five planes and number about 200 employees. Based on the then budgets of the asset management company, it is estimated that the airline would record a loss of twenty million euros in the first year of operation.