Minister Gvozdeykov: More than 2300 employees do not suffice in National Railway Infrastructure Company (NKZI) and Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ)

Together with the trade unions, we will work for real reforms in the sector that are not just on paper. This was stated by the Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Gvozdeykov at today's founding congress of a new federation of transport trade unions at the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (KNSB).

"Only in the state-owned companies BDZ and NKZI work almost 20 000 employees, and if we include the other modes of transport, this number will increase many times", said Georgi Gvozdeykov. According to him, in just ten months during the two caretaker governments, the number of employees who left the NKZI system was 884, while for BDZ they are 788.

"The government and the trade unions have a common goal - better working conditions and decent wages for workers in the sector. Because every day we face the shortage of skilled workers. At the moment, the shortage of workers in NKZI is 1260 people and in BDZ there is a shortage of 1100 people," Minister Gvozdeykov said.

"The geopolitical situation creates an opportunity for huge investments in the transport sector. We are working hard with our neighbours Greece and Romania to build on existing and create new infrastructure for road transport, rail transport and connections to ports and airports. Modernisation of the transport sector will also make it more attractive and promising for young people," the Transport Minister further explained.