Bulgaria’s Transport Minister Alexander Tsvetkov has again hit out at the country’s state railways, BDZ, after rail traffic between Sofia and Plovdiv was disrupted for more than seven hours by a fatal car crash that knocked an electricity pylon on to a rail track.
 
The accident happened at about 2am on August 24 2009. Two people died in the crash, which happened near Belovo.
 
Tsvetkov said that when such incidents happened, rail passengers and their families should be given information quicker.
 
In one incident, which The Sofia Echo witnessed, tickets were sold for the 7am Plovdiv – Sofia Express even though it was known by rail authorities that service was disrupted. About 20 minutes before departure, the public address system continued to announce the departure time and platform of the train.
 
Shortly before 7am, a conductor walked through the carriages saying that the train "would not go" and when asked for details, said that those who wanted to travel to Sofia should wait, but he could not say when service would be resumed. Refunds were given if requested.
 
Bulgarian news agency Focus said that trains resumed running about 9am.
 
Tsvetkov, who came into office in July 2009 as a member of Prime Minister Boiko Borissov’s Cabinet, has made clear his concern about the loss-making behemoth for which he has inherited responsibility.
 
BDZ lost 22.4 million leva in H1 2009, while – probably partly because of the economic crisis – transported just more than 43 per cent less cargo in July 2009 than a year previously.
 
Tsvetkov has ordered an investigation into BDZ, including a probe into a deal involving recycled sleeping cars for which a large sum was paid but which, some media reports said, were potentially unsafe.

BDZ has announced that it will shed about 2000 staff by the end of 2009 as part of a plan against financial losses, an announcement that has irked railway unionists.