Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications in resignation Grozdan Karadzhov signed 12-year contracts with the selected contractors for the procedure for awarding passenger railway transport. The ceremony took place in the building of the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
After an open and competitive procedure, the Western region, which covers about 75 percent of all railway transport in Bulgaria, is awarded to „BDZ - Passenger Transportation“ EOOD. For the other two regions - Northern (14 percent of the transport) and Southern (11 percent) - the company „Ivkoni Express“ EAD is ranked first in the procedure.
„For the first time in Bulgaria there will be more than one railway operator to carry out passenger transport. And for the first time, a private operator will carry passengers on the national railway network after an open, non-discriminatory and transparent procedure“, said Karadzhov.
He stressed that with the signing of the 12-year contracts, the state is practically completing a key reform laid down in the Recovery and Resilience Plan. According to him, without the timely fulfillment of the commitments, Bulgaria risked not only delays, but also the loss of part of the funds provided for investments in rolling stock.
The minister noted that the procedure was conducted in full compliance with the European Commission and public discussions with trade unions, carriers, representatives of the academic community and non-governmental organizations. „Instead of a formal decision, which would subsequently be challenged, we built a model that is pre-agreed and compatible with European rules“, he said.
Karadzhov was adamant that the state is not withdrawing from the sector. „The state retains its key role – it determines the scope of the service, the quality standards, exercises control and provides the main part of the financing“, he said. The rolling stock, purchased with funds under European programs, as well as that which is to be acquired, remains state property and will be provided for use to the operators for the term of the contracts, after which it will be returned in the agreed condition.
By December 13 this year, the operators must prepare their systems, arrange the issues of distribution and maintenance of the rolling stock and ensure a smooth transition to the new model. „People's expectations are clear - higher quality, more accurate trains and more comfortable travel“, said Karadzhov.
He paid special attention to the social element of the reform. The procedure provides for a total of 813 employees from BDZ to move to „Ivkoni Express“ while maintaining their current working conditions. „These are not just staff numbers, but professionals with experience and knowledge. The stability of the system depends on them“, the minister stressed.
According to him, there are two more steps to complete the reform – the adoption of the Public Transport Act by the National Assembly and the approval of the technical task for the single electronic ticket.
„The signed contracts are not a technical formality, but a key structural reform. This is a difficult but inevitable step, without which the modernization of railway transport in Bulgaria cannot happen“, said Karadzhov.