/ world today news/ Dyankov lied to me. We had a plan with the World Bank that provided for the restructuring of BDZ in 2 years, but Dyankov did not sign it.
This was stated by Ivaylo Moskovski, Minister of Transport, Information Technologies and Communications, to Nova TV, and later to BNR, regarding the recent protests against the reduction of railway lines and the dire state of BDZ.
According to him, during the previous cabinet of GERB, he and Finance Minister Simeon Dyankov worked for two years with the World Bank on a plan to restructure the railways. This plan included layoffs, but also improvements.
“At that time, my agreement was with Simeon Dyankov, as finance minister, who can sign this contract with the World Bank, that I would preemptively make reforms that were laid down there – the unpopular reforms,” said the minister. These reforms included layoffs, downsizing, including the sale of “Freight Transport”. Moskovsky himself did not do this with a particularly great desire. “If someone thinks that it is very nice, they are lying,” said the minister.
“The contract was ready on Simeon Dyankov’s desk,” said Moskovski. However, his financial colleague refused to sign it until the very end, and finally stated that the funds provided in this way would create too great a deficit. “Out of everything agreed with the EC and the World Bank, we did only the bad things,” stressed Moskovski.
“I will not repeat this again. If someone only wants to cut, cut, it is unproductive,” said the Minister of Transport. According to him, such measures in the short term may lead to some result, but not in the long term. “I wouldn’t allow myself to continue doing only unpopular measures,” admitted Moskovski.
He emphasized that he also warned the parliamentary committee on transport before the adoption of the budget, that if the budget for the railways – especially for BDZ – remains in this format, what is happening now will happen.
“I cannot blame my colleagues at BDZ, as they look at financial indicators – the least efficient and loss-making trains are practically dropped from the subsidy list. That’s why there was tension in several regions of the country,” explained Moskovski.
In order for the company to function normally, several things must be happening in parallel at the same time. The obligations to the creditors must be serviced, there must be a sanitary minimum of repairs, since the rolling stock is 30-40 years old. In order to guarantee at least minimal safety for people, there should only be a sanitary minimum of at least 25 million. leva volume of repairs in the volume of the current year. This was not done last year, and therefore 40 million were not compensated. leva. They had to fit in this same volume, and in order to fit in this volume of funds, they did not carry out repairs for 25 million. BGN, and left the company with an operating loss of 15 million. leva,” said Moskovsky.
#Moskovski #Dyankov #lied #BDZ
**Was the GERB government’s refusal to sign the World Bank agreement a major contributing factor to the current financial and operational crisis faced by BDZ?**
## World Today News Exclusive Interview: Restructuring BDZ – Did GERB Fail to Protect Bulgaria’s Railways?
**Host:** Welcome to World Today News. Today we discuss the recent turmoil surrounding Bulgaria’s national railway, BDZ, with two key figures. We have with us Ivaylo Moskovski, Bulgaria’s Minister of Transport, Information Technologies and Communications, and Simeon Dyankov, former Finance Minister under the GERB government. Gentlemen, thank you for joining us.
**(This interview is divided into thematic sections for clarity)**
**Section 1: The Unsigned Agreement**
* **Host (to Minister Moskovski):** Minister Moskovski, you say a plan to restructure BDZ was prepared with the World Bank during the previous administration. Can you elaborate on this plan? What specific reforms were involved?
* **Host (to Mr. Dyankov):** Mr. Dyankov, Minister Moskovski alleges you refused to sign this agreement with the World Bank. What was your reasoning for not proceeding with the plan?
* **Host:** Did this disagreement over financing BDZ restructuring contribute to the current state of affairs?
**Section 2: Short-Term Fixes vs. Long-Term Solutions**
* **Host (to Minister Moskovski):** You’ve said that merely cutting costs is “unproductive” in the long run. What alternative solutions did you propose, and did you receive any support for them?
* **Host (to Mr. Dyankov):** Mr. Dyankov, how would you respond to the criticism that the GERB government’s approach to BDZ focused solely on cost-cutting? Were there any long-term strategies discussed?
* **Host:** Looking ahead, what are the crucial steps needed to secure a sustainable future for BDZ?
**Section 3: Responsibility and Accountability**
* **Host (to Minister Moskovski):** You’ve acknowledged some responsibility for the current situation, stating you didn’t seem to do enough before the budget was finalized. Do you believe the current government bears the key responsibility for BDZ’s current financial and operational challenges?
* **Host (to Mr. Dyankov):** Mr. Dyankov, does the GERB government bear any responsibility toward the current predicament of BDZ? If the plan
you are accused of blocking had been implemented, would BDZ be in
better shape today?
* **Host:** To what extent should various stakeholders, including past and present governments, BDZ management, and the public, be held accountable for the current situation?
**Section 4: Lessons Learned and Future Directions**
* **Host:** What lessons should be learned from the BDZ situation to prevent similar challenges in the future for Bulgaria’s public services and infrastructure?
* **Host:** What concrete changes are needed in the way BDZ is funded and managed to ensure its long-term viability?
* **Host:** Minister Moskovski, Mr. Dyankov, thank you for your insights into this complex issue.
**(Closing statement by the host)**
This interview offer a glimpse into the complex challenges facing Bulgaria’s railway system. The contrasting perspectives shed light on the difficult choices and competing priorities involved in managing
public infrastructure in the face of economic constraints. World Today News will continue to follow this story as it unfolds.
