The government will impose a “public service obligation” on the Budapest-Sofia route, allowed under EU rules to “maintain appropriate scheduled air services on routes which are vital for the economic development of the region they serve” and award concessions for the Western Balkans routes.

The tenders will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

The ministry noted that since financially troubled national carrier Malev was grounded in 2012, direct flights are still not operating to a number of destinations on its former timetable.