Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications

It emerged from the meeting between the Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Ivaylo Moskovski and the Minister of Finance Vladislav Goranov that no passenger trains will be stopped. The two Ministers discussed the financial situation at BDZ and agreed to undertake urgent measures to address people’s expectations.

Minister Goranov undertook the commitment that 40 million Levs will be transferred to the subsidy for BDZ Passenger Services EOOD necessary for the provision of the passenger service. These funds are to be notified by the European Commission and will be transferred to the company with an Ordinance of the Council of ministers. Thus the schedule of trains will be maintained and certain trains may be stopped only after talks with the locals. “Because of postponed repair works there is a problem with the technical state of some trains and this could condition changes in the schedule”, explained the Transport Minister.

“I am glad that we managed to provide the financial gap for BDZ. The state in the country is dire, yet the railways are the only transport for thousands of people and stopping some of them would have caused significant inconvenience”, added Minister Moskovski. However, that does not mean that the reform in BDZ will be stopped. “We will have to take some unpopular decisions for BDZ so as to provide its functioning in the long run”, he added. By mid-February a strategy for the stabilization of the company will be drafted that will include a financial plan with a timeline of at least seven years. This is the requirement posed by the EC since there has to be a guarantee and vision for the rehabilitation of the company. The strategy is to be voted at the National Assembly so as to ensure its sustainability irrespective of any political changes.