Bulgaria risks the activation of a EU safeguard clause related to the civilian airline traffic because of multiple safety standard problems. The European Commission confirmed on Wednesday that it would apply restrictions to Sofia in this area, meaning that the European air space would be closed for flights belonging to the main Bulgarian airline, according to the AFP agency.

The Commission justified its decision with major irregularities in the managing capacity of Bulgarian aeronautical authorities in the fields of security level checking, flight capacity certification and maintenance activities.

The personnel is insufficient and the professional skills of employees do not allow them to fulfill their duties at the necessary standards, according to the Commission.

The application of a safeguard clause in this field means that authorizations and certificates issued by the Bulgarian civilian aviation will not be automatically valid in the rest of EU member states. And Bulgarian airlines will have to negotiate with each member state as they are currently doing, the Commission says.