The business sector calls for railway reforms

 

On 8th November, the Bulgarian Industrial Association (BIA) hosted a meeting on issues in railway transport. This was attended by the Minister of Transport, Petar Mutafchiev, and his deputy, Georgi Petarneichev, the BIA Chairman, Bozhidar Danev, representatives of the branch organisations from the sectors of the metallurgical, chemical and mining industries and railway transport, representatives of the leading freight consignors (Kremikovtsi, Stomana Industry, Tepro Metal, Sofia Med, Stilmet, Kumerio Med, KCM 2000), as well as the Executive Director of BDZ EAD, Oleg Petkov, and the Director General of NRIC, Anton Ginev.

 

The representatives of the business sectors stated that the growth of the Bulgarian economy in the recent years has met with extremely serious hindrances, posed by the lack of railway rolling stock (and the de-modernisation of Bulgarian railways) and the poor condition of the railway infrastructure. According to them, such a situation could also block the interests of foreign investors. The Minister of Transport, Petar Mutafchiev, announced that the draft budget for 2007 envisages an additional subsidy of BGN20 million for NRIC’s current costs, while a credit, guaranteed by the state, amounting to BGN70 million will be allocated to BDZ for the overhaul of freight wagons. Minister Mutafchiev voiced his approval for the concept of establishing capital companies on the basis of a budget surplus for 2007.