site.btaRailway Officials Discuss Causes of Jan. 15 Freight Train Collision

Aleksandar Veckov, acting Director General of the National Railway Infrastructure Company (NRIC), said several staff members had grossly violated all procedures, leading to a January 15 collision between two freight trains. Deputy Prime Minister and Transport and Communications Minister Grozdan Karadzhov Monday met with Veckov and with the management of Holding BDZ and of the Railway Administration Executive Agency.

The meeting was prompted by Karadzhov's main priority - ensuring transport safety, particularly in light of the train collision near Sofia in which two died and six were injured.

Veckov was asked how come that the two freight trains were running on the same track. He expressed a hope that this would remain a precedent  and stressed there is no such thing as an oral order in railway transport. He said three staff members had been suspended from NRIC.

BDZ Cargo Ltd General Manager Hristiyan Krastev and NRIC Director General Stoyan Stoyanov resigned on January 17. On the day of the accident, then caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev dismissed Biser Minchev from his post as deputy transport minister. 

Also on January 17, Transport Minister Grozdan Karadzhov told reporters he had commissioned two urgent reports analyzing gaps in the security system and in rail security procedures.