site.btaRailway Operator's Condition Cause for "Exceptional Concern" - Deputy Minister

"The condition of Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ) is a cause for exceptional concern," Deputy Transport and Communications Minister Krasimir Papukchiyski told a news briefing here on Tuesday. "A total of 5,700 fast and passenger train services have been cancelled since the beginning of the year. This means that the time during which train services were not available countrywide adds up to more than 12 days. With the current condition of the rolling stock fleet, average daily delays range from 1,000 to 1,800 minutes," the Deputy Minister explained.

He added that passenger cars are dirty, and office premises and the rooms where locomotive crews rest are in a poor condition.

"On the basis of these findings, I have ordered the BDZ Managing Board and Director General to take immediate measures for the repair of locomotives and wagons so that they could service the timetable 100% and shape the service in the way we should provide it to the public," Papukchiyski pointed out.

BDZ Cargo Ltd. are in a deplorable condition in terms of rolling stock maintenance. The company has amassed BGN 23 million in overdue and uncollected receivables, the Deputy Minister said, adding that there is a large outflow of cargo consignors.

It transpired from Papukchiyski's words that his team will also look into the effect of the merger of the BDZ subsidiaries.