Bulgarian State Railways featured among Bulgaria’s major transport problems because the company was experiencing deep crisis, Transport Minister Petar Moutafchiev said.

State railways received as much funds as the state could provide, Moutafchiev said. Over the past 15 years the company was neglected which could not continue any longer, he said.

In one year the Cabinet managed to decrease the debts of the company by 20 million leva, Moutafchiev said as quoted by Focus news agency. The amount was still insufficient and had to go down further, he said.

The Transport Ministry is working on a loan scheme that will be valid in the coming 17 years. Funds will be used for the purchase of new train cars needed to improve the services of the State Railways.

Moutafchiev said that the ministry was trying to implement reforms within the railways that were going to lead to positive financial results.

Wages of State Railways employees feature among the other company problems. The wages in the sector are lower than the state average but a significant increase was impossible at the moment, Moutafchiev said.