Management of the Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ) held a round table discussion themed “Recovery and development plan of the Group of the Holding BDZ for 2015-2020”, following the official presentation of the plan for recovery and reform.
“With the plan for the recovery of the Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ) we have tried to cover all fields in the company,” Holding BDZ Executive Director Vladimir Vladimirov said. The plan is based on an analysis covering the time period from 2002 until 2015.
“We have outlined several major priories based on this analysis.
In the first place, we will start with the investments, since the companies – BDZ and the National Railway Infrastructure Company, need investments,” he commented further.
“The second major priority is the introduction of information technologies in the company. We are seriously lagged behind in this field compared with the other railway companies,” Vladimir Vladimirov explained.
“The third accent is put on the payment of the debts to the creditors. If this does not happen, the risk for the BDZ to be pressed by the banks is really big,” he added.
“We have envisaged a minimal investment programme of BGN 210 million (EUR 107 mln) for the next 7 years. This is a realistic scenario. In a more optimistic possibility which will lead to an increase in rolling stock, which would raise the quality of services, not only in the Sofia – Burgas route but also in the rest of key routes, the investment is to reach 430 million (EUR 220 mln),” Vladimirov stated.
“Speaking of the Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ) – Passenger’s Service, the key role is assigned on the investment programme, which is until 2020 and envisages deliveries of new rolling-stock,” said Dimitar Kostadinov, manager of BDZ – Passenger’s Service.
In his words, the programme is examined in three options – optimistic, pessimistic and realistic, as the difference between the realistic and the optimistic is the needed money for development of different finitary relation.
“We should also take into account the investment programme of the National Company for Railway Infrastructure.
“The realisation of projects of prime importance for the EU along the Serbian border – Sofia – Plovdiv – Svilengrad- Turkish border route and along the Plovdiv – Burgas route is among the main priorities in the development of railway infrastructure,“ he said.
The second important direction of work is the realisation of projects of national importance along the Sofia – Varna route (Mezdra – Kaspichan section), the Ruse – Varna route, and the Karnobat – Sindel route.
BGN 1.4 billion (EUR 716 mln) is needed for the complete rehabilitation of the Sofia – Varna railway route.
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