Bulgaria Air (FB, Sofia) owes Sofia Airport EAD, the firm that manages the Bulgarian capital's primary gateway, BGN47.2 million (USD26.6 million) the airport's CEO Hristo Shterionov has said.

Quoting local newspapers, the Novinite site reports the carrier has been given until 2021 to pay off the debts which, he said, have contributed Sofia Airport EAD's poor financial standing.

The revelation comes after Ryanair (FR, Dublin International), in May, threatened to take Bulgaria Air to the European Commission claiming the carrier's unwillingness to settle its debts constituted a form of illegal state assistance. The Irish LCC also questioned the conflict of interest presented by Bulgaria Air's ownership of a 40% stake in Sofia Varna airports.

Bulgaria Air management at the time denied the allegations claiming that it had "normal" relations with Sofia Airport, as well as those in Varna and Burgas.

Founded in 2002 following the collapse of Balkan Bulgarian Airlines (Sofia), Bulgaria Air operates two A319-100s, three A320-200s, one ARJ-70, two B737-300s, one BAe 146-200, and four E190ARs on short- and medium-haul flights to destinations in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Russia.