Heinzmann took over as Tarom general manager in November 19, 2012.
People close to the matter said Tarom’s Executive Board put pressure on Heinzmann to sign the new contract.
Board chairman Dan Pascariu declined to offer details of the matter.
Heinzmann told Ziarul Financiar he signed a new contract and would remain at the helm of the company until November.
Tarom registered loss of 64 million lei (EUR14 million) in the first five months, down 45% from RON116 million in the similar interval a year ago.
Heinzmann, a Belgian citizen with over 25 years experience in the aviation industry, was previously the CEO of Luxemburg’s state airline Luxair.
Tarom is controlled by the Transport Ministry, which selected in July 2012 the consortium PwC/D&B David and Baias/George Butunoiu to recruit private general managers and managing board members for the companies under its authority with turnovers higher than EUR7.3 million.
Tarom’s Board includes Pascariu (also president of the Supervisory Board of UniCredit Tiriac Bank), former astronaut Dumitru Prunariu, businessman Marius Ghenea, Valentin Macec (former adviser to ex-Transport minister Ovidiu Silaghi) and Ciprian Ladunca (CFO of insurer Alico).
Under standing agreements with the IMF and the EC, Romania’s Government has pledged to appoint private management at 48 state-owned companies. Tarom was the first state company which was appointed private management.