UNIFE sends strong signal to reinforce railway investment in Central and Eastern Europe

UNIFE, the European Rail Industry, and CER, the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies, organised a rail investment seminar in Sofia to address the ‘very slow absorption of European’ funds by the railway sector in many Central and Eastern European member states and in particular in Bulgaria and Romania.
The European Union provides substantial funds for railway infrastructure but only a mere fraction is actually invested, putting rail transport in an ‘unfavourable light and hindering the employment of a modern, sustainable transport in those in those regions’.
Keynote speeches were given by the Bulgarian Minister charged with EU Funds Management, Tomislav Donchev, and the newly appointed Bulgarian Minister of Transport, Ivaylo Moskovski.
Both ministers, Mr Donchev and Mr Moskovski, pledged to remedy the gridlock caused by railway underfinancing.
Making reference to the EU2020 climate objectives, Transport Minister Moskovski made a clear commitment to rail transport in Bulgaria, naming rail investment a political priority for his administration.
Moreover, it became clear that the obstacles to growth in rail transport in Central and Eastern Europe is a consequence of long-lasting and continuing underfinancing of infrastructure and public service contracts in these countries, in contradiction to EU legislation.
Moreover, the following well-respected stakeholders also presented their views on the subject: Andrzej Massel, Polish Undersecretary of State responsible for railways, Jean-Marie Seyler, Director for Bulgaria at the European Commission’s DG REGIO, and Milcho Lambrev, Director-General of the Bulgarian Infrastructure Managers.
The rail industry was represented by the Managing Directors of Balfour Beatty Rail GmbH Germany and ComsaEmte, Dr Manfred Lerch and Miquel Llevat.
A knowledge transfer to Bulgarian authorities was the focus when best practise examples of European funding, such as Spain, were presented.
Setting the scene for the seminar, Michael Clausecker, UNIFE Director-General, listed a number of problems that many Central and Eastern European governments face in the attempt to modernise their railway systems.
These reach from the need to reform the railway sector to project planning, managing and implementing skills.
He stated; “The challenges are enormous, but the European railway industry is ready to help.”
Johannes Ludewig, CER Executive Director, in his speech stated:
“The issue of EU funds absorption is absolutely central: technical assistance programmes such as JASPERS should be coupled with adequate financing from the EU budget.
“But let’s not forget that because of the well-known principle of additionality, EU funds can be spent only if supported by a greater commitment coming from national budgets. It is at national level that rail shall become a priority, if we want to achieve together a decarbonised European transport system.”
Numerous contributions from the panelists and the audience helped to identify the need for a well-designed and widely accepted master plan for the railway sector as a key requirement to improving the situation for rail in Eastern Europe.
UNIFE and CER are at the disposal of the relevant transport authorities to assist in this process.

source: www.rail.co

Bulgaria Restructures State Railway Co into Holding

Bulgarian state railways company BDZ will be restructured into a holding company, informed the Transport Ministry.

According to a decision signed by Bulgarian Transport Minister Alexander Tsvetkov on October 22, 2010. the Bulgarian state railway company is going to "give birth" to a holding company, which is going to have two major divisions – one in charge of passengers, and another one in charge of freight transport.

In the new situation, the parent company BDZ is still going to be responsible for the strategic management. The new holding company, however, is going to take over the management of the valuable railroad assets, such as locomotives and carriages.

The restructuring aims mainly at the establishment of a new and more effective system, which should be able to transform BDZ into a profitable company.

Currently, the Bulgarian state railways company is in turmoil as a week ago five employees were fired over the derailment of three cars of an express train between the capital Sofia and the Black Sea city of Burgas.

Furthermore, at the beginning of October about 80% of passenger trains in Bulgaria were declared as operating "illegally" and with expired safety certificates, according to a ruling of the Sofia Administrative Court. Since a train fire in 2008, the Bulgarian trains have come under much criticism not only with respect to safety standards, but also for their considerable lack of comfort.

Meanwhile, as BDZ is facing restructuring, a Bulgarian delegation, led by Transport Minister Alexander Tsvetkov is on a visit to China discussing opportunities for including Bulgaria in the China's' project to launch a railway connection to Central and Western Europe through Central Asia, Turkey, and Bulgaria, the so called China-Europe high-speed rail link.

source: Novinite