Slovenia’s Adria Airways has reported Serbia to the European Union for providing state aid to its national airline, the Insajder portal reported.

“Adria Airways is worried over the aid that Serbia has illegally provided to Air Serbia and feels that it is inappropriate because it disrupts freedom of competition on the market,” lawyer Dragan Gajin told the portal. Gajin’s law firm is representing Adria Airways in the proceedings that the Slovenian company launched in EU institutions.  

Adria Airways contacted the Serbian Commission for control of state aid but has received no reply to date, Gajin said.  

He said that the state aid provided to Air Serbia is a violation of Serbian law and a violation of the country’s international obligations under the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU.  

The Serbian government owns 51 percent of Air Serbia with the remaining 49 percent held by Etihad Airways from the United Arab Emirates.