Bulgaria Faces Setback as Air Fresheners for New Rail Cars Stolen Upon Arrival

Air fresheners intended for the salons and toilets of recently imported passenger railroad cars from Germany were reported stolen upon their arrival at a Bulgarian depot, according to Transport Minister Georgi Gvozdeikov in an interview with bTV. The minister expressed dismay over the incident, describing it as tragic rather than humorous. He emphasized the need for proper maintenance of the rail cars despite the setback.

 "The situation in railway transport in Bulgaria is serious. Regarding the accidents, there are investigative bodies to analyze the whole process and come up with a conclusion. There is an investigation by the investigative authorities and the labor inspectorate," he added.
"I commissioned an audit at National Railway Infrastructure Company (NRIC) because the biggest problem comes from the organization and functioning of the enterprise. Its activity requires serious reform, new priorities and goals. Europe aims for the railways to be the backbone of transport. The commitment is that these enterprises pass as commercial companies or agencies depending on the activity. This has to happen now. This should be done in the next three months," stressed the caretaker minister.
"NRIC cannot exist as a state enterprise, because this is our commitment to the OECD and to the entry into the Eurozone. It will be another legal entity - a state agency or a commercial company. The whole concept of this enterprise needs to be cleared in order to have a modern and safe infrastructure."
"I don't want to instill fear in people. The situation is difficult from the point of view of organizational work. From a safety point of view, the measures are strictly followed. I made sure yesterday during my trip from...