Bulgarian Railways to Go on Strike against Cuts

Earlier announcements that Bulgarian State Railways workers are going on a national strike have been confirmed, with a date for the strike to be set Monday.

Friday and Saturday railways trade union representatives spoke about the possibility of strikes agains government plans to lay off 2,000 workers.

Sunday Rosen Zarkov, chair of the railway unit of the Podkrepa Trade Union confirmed that syndicates have decided to go on strike and will announce the exact periods on a pres conference Monday.

The strike is planned to take place in November and to be also directed against what trade unionists see as lack of dialogue on the part of the State Railways management.

"The policy that the cabinet is engaged in will lead not only to job losses, but to the veritable destruction of Bulgarian railway services," commented the representative.

In recent months, it has been revealed that the Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ) company is in a very bad financial situation, to the degree that Minister of Transport Ivailo Moskovski has declared it "technically bankrupt."

The State Railways' debts are calculated to amount to BGN 771 M, 531 M of which are to financial institutions.

The state BDZ company is trying to negotiate a loan from the World Bank against restructuring, which would include closing down train lines and laying off personnel to stay alive.