The behavior of Bulgaria Air, Bulgaria's national airline carrier and heir to Balkan Airlines and tour operator, Alma Tour, is absolutely irresponsible, according to Bulgarian Economy and Energy Minister, Traicho Traikov.

Traikov spoke Tuesday, commenting on the scandal with 1 000 tourists from Russia, Finland and Lithuania, who were stranded at the Black Sea airports of Burgas and Varna since Friday, after their flights were canceled due to an alleged EUR 3.6 M debt to carrier Bulgaria Air from operator Alma Tour.

On Tuesday, Traikov invited the CEOs of Alma Tour, Alma Tour Fly and Bulgaria Air to a meeting. He made his statement upon its conclusion, saying the companies were behaving irrationally and had done nothing to solve the problem.

"This is insane, especially on the backdrop of so much effort to have a strong summer season," the Minister declared, adding that 100 tourists still remain in the country and there are more who are now on vacation and whose trip back home is questionable – an estimated total of 600 people.

According to Traikov, the solution would be for Bulgaria Air to transport all of them and later be reimbursed by their insurance.

Transportation Minister, Ivaylo Moskovski, said earlier that the national carrier was continuing to fly home the stranded tourists.

"Local tour operators in Russia, the Baltic Republics, and Finland are paying for the flights and then will ask for reimbursement from the respective guarantee funds. They can later pursue legal actions against Alma Tour," Moskovski explained.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry, Vesela Cherneva, informed that a letter has been sent to the Border Police to ask them to extend the visas of the stranded tourists and not fine them.

Bulgaria Air announced earlier they started legal actions to collect the EUR 3.6 M owed by Alma Tour.