Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications

The Minister of Transport Peter Mutafchiev ordered “BDZ” Ltd and NC “Railway Infrastructure to undertake urgent measures to eliminate the problem with the Serbian Railways. This became necessary, after the Serbian protest to the Bulgarian national railway carrier, due to a freight trains graphic disturbance at Dragoman – Dimitrovgrad border. At the present moment more than 50 freight trains are located in the territory of the Republic of Serbia.  

The Directions of “BDZ” Ltd and NC “Railway Infrastructure” analyzed the causes for the international transit freight trains graphic disturbance, across the railway border passage between The Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of Serbia. The Analysis shows, that the exaggerated train traffic during the summer season increases the time needed for the trains border check, which leads to rapid diminishing of the traffic capacity on the border passage.

“BDZ” Ltd and NC “Railway Infrastructure” initiated a meeting with representatives of the Bulgarian border authorities. A decision was taken, namely, from today August 16, 2006 two trains to be submitted to examination at the same time at the Bulgarian border railway station in the Bulgarian territory, which will reduce the boundary demurrage of the trains and will increase the traffic capacity of the border passage.

Additionally, yesterday, August 15, 2006 a meeting between representatives of “BDZ” Ltd and the Serbian Railways took place, where concrete measures were planed, in order to resolve the problem. From today, according to the commitments taken, BDZ provides five locomotives to serve the trains, after their entering in Bulgarian territory. Furthermore, from today operates a new organization for the operative administration of the transports, which foresees that the operative dispatcher authorities of the both railways will exercise permanent cooperative control upon the acceptance and delivering of trains on the border passage.  The both railway administrations came to an agreement to raise train’s gross weight, which are being delivered between Bulgaria and Serbia.

For additional information:
Gergana Grozdeva, Press Centre,
Ministry of Transport
Phone: 940 96 25
E-Mail: ggrozdeva@mt.government.bg