Interview of Minister Georgi Gvozdeykov for ‘24 chasa’ [‘24 hours’], the conversation was conducted by Mariana Boykova.
Mr. Gvozdeykov, from your point of view, what really happened in the last month to break the assembly?
Party passions prevailed over public interests. I think the main reason is a misunderstanding of the philosophy of politics. It is a phenomenon that provides opportunities and tools to improve people's lives. There is nothing complicated. This happens through the political entities, the parties, which have to focus not on narrow partisan interest, but to work hard in the interest of society to achieve the big goals. This is the only way to change Bulgaria's development from now on. The more we focus on the narrow interests of the parties, the more we forget about the problems of the people and the big goals of this country. And the crisis is inevitable.
You chose the post over the party, and now you have turned out to be the government's choice for chief of staff for the election. Do you sense a trap, or is it some other sign to the PP [Political Party We Continue the Change]? So far, either a deputy prime minister or an interior minister has headed it.
I didn't choose the posts. I chose to finish my work in the ministry — the modernisation of rail transport, which is the most important goal for society and for transport in particular, the land Schengen, the construction of a third bridge on the Danube at Ruse, etc. The risk is that funds from the Recovery and Sustainability Plan could be lost, which would be disastrous for the country. I did the right thing in front of the party leaders and tried to defend my motive. In politics, it is much more important to think big and statesmanlike than to look narrowly at partisanship and your own comfort. It is clear to all that I have not secured my comfort. Conversely, I suffer negatives for this choice. My inner feeling is that my decision is the right one. And I am clear before my conscience. I have not betrayed my political ideology, on the contrary — I apply it in the governance of the country.
As for the misinformation about the ‘election headquarters’, it never existed. The Electoral Code enables a designated minister to coordinate between the Central Electoral Commission and the institutions involved in elections. The law does not even make it mandatory to do so, it is wishful thinking.
But so far it has always been assigned.
If we go back in time, we will see that these functions have even been performed by the Minister of Tourism. The functions are coordinating — between the government, the CEC, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Regional Development and Public works, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Electronic Government and others — as it is written in the Electoral Code. If there is any problem, I inform the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister called me and asked me to become such a coordinator because he sees in me a person who can be responsible and make every effort to do the job in the most transparent way. At the moment, it is convenient to speculate because I am out on the ambushes and it appears that I will almost make the elections. No, elections are made by the CEC. My functions are purely coordinating, and I am ending here.
Boyko Borissov defined you as a balancer between GERB and PP and this makes me ask you if it is a trap.
Everything in life can be seen as a trap or a risk. If I start thinking what's in front of me is a trap or not, it means going home and doing nothing. I am not a person who is afraid of challenges, I take them with responsibility. I don't know if I'm a balancer, but I'm someone who has no party political commitment to anyone at the moment. I’m excluded from ‘We Continue the Change’, so I’m equidistant from all political forces.
What is your relationship with your former colleagues, is there any bitterness or resistance to working together?
I did not spoil my relationship with anyone, as I am a well-mannered person and we should not mix professional with human relations. Yes, I have taken a different path and I have announced it clearly, I have been frank, I have said what my intentions and goals are, whether I have been understood is another matter that does not matter much. And I declare to you that you will not hear a bad word from my mouth about my former colleagues.
In a Bulgarian environment, the motive that you stay because there is work to be done does not sound convincing. They will suspect you of anything. Are you ready to bear it?
Since I am in this office, then I am ready. Everyone has the right to blame everyone for everything, whether it is justified is another question. I have nothing to fear. If you are referring to the implementation of the procedures under the recovery plan, which are extremely important for the modernisation of the Bulgarian railway transport, if there were any agreements or orders, contracts should have been signed by now and they should be implemented. The procedures are absolutely transparent and the control is at a high level, even by the European Commission.
The first government meeting has passed, what is the atmosphere?
The atmosphere is normal. I have experience of over 50 Council of Ministers meetings. I think that the new colleagues in the government will quickly get into the rhythm of work. The task of this caretaker cabinet is to organise fair elections, which I have no doubt. I am also strongly in favour of machine voting.
You have started some mega important things. Among the silent are the conditions for the announcement of a procedure for the public transport of passengers on rails. What’s the solution — to advertise for shipments on the entire network or are you going to divide them into lots? What is the determining factor when making a decision?
This process is interesting because it has not happened for 15 years. The state's contract with BDZ was signed in 2009 and expires at the end of this year. Long before me, an analysis was commissioned from an external consultancy company which had to give a final conclusion on how the contract should be announced. The conclusion of this analysis is that Bulgaria should again declare the public transport service as comprehensive, without splitting it into lots. And I can tell you why.
Why?
Bulgaria has not achieved modernisation of rail transport and by dividing the order into lots, there is a huge risk that some of them will not be interested because they are not attractive for economic reasons. We know that there should be freedom in the market, but at the moment it is also unlimited.
The contract speaks about 170 million BGN per year, which compensates the railway carrier.
These 170 million BGN are not enough at the moment, it is running at a loss and someone has to cover it, even the operator. I can clearly say that our country and the railways are not ready to divide the network into lots, because some regions may be left without trains. We have complied with the consultant's conclusions.
When will you announce the procedure?
When we get agreement from the EC. There is a debate to be had and we need to justify why we are going to announce it for the whole network.
Is there pressure from there?
There is no pressure, there are questions, it is normal. And if we can reason why we are doing it this way, I think there will be no problem.
With the procedures for new trains, one supplier — the Polish division of Stadler for the 7 double-decker trains — has actually been appointed so far. When will contracts be signed for the most important ones — the 20 long-distance trains and the 36 electric multiple units? Will it happen by the end of 2026?
A contractor has now been selected to supply the double-decker trains. I hope in the next two weeks the first contract will be a fact. On Friday, we opened the bids for the delivery of 35 railcars. It is important for us that the deadlines are met because the recovery plan expires not even at the end of 2026, but at the end of August 2026, which is a challenge for both us and the contractor. We are optimistic because the law allows us, when there is a discrepancy in price or in specifications, or there is an incorrectly submitted bid, to be able to conduct the procedure as a direct negotiation. We are ready to invite the EC to be present at the negotiations, to understand that a compromise has to be made with the delivery period, to extend it even minimally.
Will you want an extension?
No, we won't ask for anything. But it is good to know that we are talking about production and processes that are not even up to the manufacturer and he has to re-plan his production to meet our request.
Negotiations with Spain's Talgo for 20 long-distance trains failed in May. Why?
In this procedure there was a participation of a third country company (from China — editor’s note). The EC initiated a probe of the Chinese company, it refused as it considered it could be vulnerable and a clear result came out that it was receiving state aid. Currently, the price of the other bidder, Spain's Talgo, is too high and offers a much longer production period. No consensus was reached in the negotiations, the procedure has not been terminated, but there is another possibility that the EC is ready to replace the train type at risk.
What are you going to replace these trains with?
With railcars that are easier to manufacture.
We are mid-April, have you paid for the 76 German wagons and will you be welcoming the first consist of 19 at the end of the month?
On Friday we received the subsidy from the Ministry of Finance, the money has been transferred to BDZ. I have been assured that they will make the first tranche of payment today (Monday). I hope in the first 10—12 days of May we will welcome the first 19 wagons.
When will the first helicopter perform medical rescue flights?
At the end of this week we are expecting a test pilot from Italy to certify the flying hours the pilots have done with this machine. Four pilots have already reached them. After the inspection, they can perform flights, which will happen towards the end of April and the first helicopter will enter service.
How far has the organisation of the air rescue system itself come?
The system is being built in phases, which is linked to the schedule for the arrival of the 6 helicopters and the training of the aircrew. Today (Monday) they are opening another site of the hospital in Veliko Tarnovo. In June, the second helicopter will arrive, which will be based in Sliven, preparations are being made for the construction of the temporary base there, which should start at the beginning of the summer season to have medical rescue at sea. In December, the third helicopter will arrive, which will be based in Dolna Mitropolia, and is for Northern Bulgaria and so up to six machines. I hope the system will then be working at full capacity.
Will the second helicopter with a winch is that it became cult. Will he be able to save in the mountains?
Two of the helicopters will have winches, they are adapted for mountain rescue, they have all the technical indicators. Pilots are trained for such flights. Training missions are underway to have the system operational by the end of April.
Speaking of European funding, how far have the Transport Connectivity Programme projects gone?
The big goal is to complete the modernisation of the railway infrastructure and raise the speed to 160 km per hour by 2027. The construction of all digitalisation and electronic train safety and security management systems is being carried out in parallel with major infrastructure projects. At the moment we have no delay. I hope that by 2027 Bulgaria will look different with modern rail transport.
And the plan for a third bridge on the Danube?
Together with Romania, we have been approved to finance the feasibility study for a third bridge at Ruse. We already have the paperwork submitted, we're approved and it's going to happen. We will be applying for military mobility funding for the bridge and construction steps follow. There is a great interest in the EC on the North-South axis because of the reconstruction of Ukraine