Criminal charges against MAT

MAT's final chapter

The Macedonian aviation authorities will file criminal charges against the management of MAT days after it grounded the carrier’s sole remaining aircraft, therefore putting the airline out of service. The aviation authorities have accused the Macedonian national carrier of selling tickets for flights despite the fact that they cannot be performed because MAT no longer has their Boeing B737-500. This applies to tickets that were sold after the aircraft was ceased. The authorities explain that because the other means of transportation were, and will not be, provided for passengers with MAT tickets, criminal charges will filed. MAT Macedonian Airlines’, only aircraft, the Boeing 737, has been grounded due to safety concerns according to the Macedonian Agency for Civil Aviation (ACV). ACV will initiate both misdemeanour and criminal proceedings against the Chairman of the Management Board of MAT Zlatko Petrovski, as well as the director of the company Gjorgji Cackirov and inform the Macedonian Government of the matter. MAT is owned by Živko Gruevski (48.43% of shares) and Zlatko Petrovski (48.43% of shares) while the remaining 3.14% of shares are owned by minor shareholders.

Currently there is no resumption of services on behalf of MAT in sight. This leaves 180 employees in doubt of their position within the carrier. With MAT grounded, Serbia’s Jat Airways has now become the largest carrier operating out of Macedonia with a total of 11 weekly flights, which will be increased to 13, starting June 1.