Former ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) has paid off the MVR 3.8 million debt owed to the national airline, Maldivian.

Maldivian cited that the opposition party had paid off the debt on Monday.

The opposition party, who suffered a huge loss in April's parliamentary elections, owed MVR 4.8 million to the national airline after chartering flights on credit to transport supporters to a mass rally held by party leader and then President Abdulla Yameen in 2018.

PPM had settled MVR one million out of the total shortly after a case was lodged at court.

Civil Court had in February ordered PPM to pay up the remaining amount following the party’s failure to pay up. PPM had then stated that it will only be able to pay up once the state pays up the money owed to the party.

Earlier in May, the Ministry of Finance had released MVR 8.4 million to the opposition party, which had been withheld by the Elections Commission over legal issues over its leadership, after which the opposition party stated that it would pay off the debts soon.

While the party’s phone lines have also been cut following failure to pay bills, the party earlier stated that it would settle the debt before beginning to spend on developing the party.