site.btaNew Transport Minister Grozdan Karadzhov Says Reform in Bulgarian State Railways Is Necessary

New Transport and Communications Minister Grozdan Karadzhov said that the state of the Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ) is one of the key concerns of the Ministry. "BDZ and the National Company Railway Infrastructure have problems and we will work to improve the safety of rail transport," he said as he took over from his predecessor Krasimira Stoyanova Thursday. 

His comment comes a day after a deadly crash between two freight trains near Sofia.

 Karadzhov stressed that recently, railway accidents have become more frequent: five people died in railway accidents last year and two more died early this year.

When asked by journalists whether this indicates the need for reform in BDZ, Karadzhov replied that a reform is long overdue.

He also said that he has been working in the transport sector and has first-hand knowledge of the processes in it.

Krasimira Stoyanova said that as she stepped in office four months ago, she promised to carry through important reforms and kept her promise. "We made lots of efforts to prepare a good competitive procedure for selecting a railway carrier, to improve the shape of Bulgarian Post, to procure new rolling stock under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan," she said.

The incoming and outgoing ministers stressed the importance of continuing all ongoing reforms.