Romania’s Government issued a memorandum regarding “methods of increasing efficiency in the country’s railway system”. The document represents a necessity for the Transport Master Plan which has already been approved by the Executive.
The memo includes drastic measures such as eliminating several routes spanning 4,000 km and reducing the national rail-network to just 6.200 km. Among the routes that could be closed down there is Bucuresti-Oltenita, Galati-Barlad and Iasi-Botosani, leaving tens of communes and villages isolated.
The procedures involve several collateral costs, the most important of which being compensating the employees that will have to be let go as a result of the reduction.
“CFR SA will have to fire 6,000 – 7,000 people, CFR Calatori – a couple hundred. Add in transporters, both state and private. Overall, I think we’re looking at 10,000 people leaving in the future”, according to Stefan Roseanu, railway consultant for the European Union.
Sources withing the Ministry of Transport have confirmed that employees will likely carry the weight of the upcoming reform, but they failed to specify for capital.ro just how many people will have to be let go.
“It’s clear that they will be affected directly. However, it is premature to make calculation now”, according to the sources.