Nearly 50% of the country’s railway lines are served by Siemens trains, whose maintenance remains without a permanent solution due to a six-month-long appeal against the public tender to select a contractor.
The management of Holding BDZ EAD and BDZ–Passenger Transport issued a warning concerning the critical situation during a meeting with the Minister of Transport and Communications, Georgi Peev, and Deputy Minister Tsvetana Timeva.
Among the main topics of discussion were the shortage of railcars, the poor condition of the rolling stock, non-functioning air conditioners, and problems with passenger service.
"The situation is unacceptable. There can be no compromises on safety and service quality," Minister Peev stated, insisting on urgent measures within a week, concrete solutions, and constant monitoring of their implementation.
Immediately after the meeting, the minister and deputy minister conducted an on-site inspection by boarding a Siemens train at Sofia Central Station as regular passengers. During the inspection, delays and difficulties were noted in the modernisation of the Sofia railway hub and the Sofia–Voluyak and Sofia–Elin Pelin sections.
A conductor named Petya also offered a personal glimpse into everyday life on the railways; she talked about her work and shared that it was actually BDZ that brought her together with her husband—who is also a conductor. Georgi Peev and Tsvetana Timeva also spoke with random passengers, who described the challenges they face when traveling by train.
"One of the first things any Minister of Transport does is to board a train and see for themselves the conditions and problems faced by passengers and BDZ employees. The real situation cannot be understood from behind a desk," Peev commented.
