BDZ ends 2018 with operating profit of BGN 10 million BDZ ends 2018 with pre-tax profit in the amount of BGN 10 million, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Holding BDZ EAD announced at a press conference. The company is recording profits and they are growing. The financial position of the company is stable, assured the Executive Director of Holding BDZ. He pointed out that the main goals are improving the organization and the group’s results, based on a 6-year plan. The capital transfer plus the generated funds will be invested in development, repair and payment of debts. The group generates about BGN 350 million a year, half of which comes from state subsidy. The capital transfer is BGN 40 million and the operational liabilities to suppliers amount to about BGN 100 million. The main creditor is the National Railway Infrastructure Company (NRIC), to which BDZ owes BGN 80 million and pays on a repayment schedule. The BDZ's budget for this year will be submitted for approval to the Transport Ministry by 15th February. For its development BDZ still relies on the concession of Sofia Airport, for which the deadline for submitting offers has been extended several times.
Source: investor.bg (16.01.2019)

Spanish-Polish consortium to build Sofia-Voluyak railway line for BGN 190 million Spanish-Polish consortium Komsa Traction was selected as contractor of the Sofia-Voluyak railroad with a cost of BGN 190 million excluding VAT, announced the National Railway Infrastructure Company (NRIC). The project is funded under the new "Connecting Europe" mechanism and co-financing comes from the NRIC. Tenders were submitted by four candidates, two of which were removed. Thus the Greek Terna AD and the Komsa Traction company passed to the next stage – the opening of the price proposals. The public procurement is for engineering services - design and construction.
Source: mediapool.bg (01.02.2019)

BDZ records profit for the first time in many years For the first time in many years, BDZ will have an accounting profit, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Holding BDZ said. BDZ Passenger Services records stable revenues at the same level, with a slight increase. Passengers have also increased by about 500,000, which is a rise by about 2.5%. Operational profits of Passenger Services remain within BGN 20 million and the subsidy remains unchanged - BGN 175 million. The capital transfer, scheduled for repair is within BGN 39 million. More revenues compared to the past year are also planned in the BDZ Freight Services, by about 15%.
Source: Trud (21.03.2019)

Bulgarian-Spanish union will most likely take a railway order for BGN 260 million A joint venture between the Bulgarian company Infrastructural Construction AD and the Spanish Marco Obra Audience will probably win the contract for modernization of the railway section between Orizovo and Mihaylovo, which is part of the major rehabilitation of the Plovdiv-Burgas line. At an estimated value of BGN 248 million without VAT, the group Euro Rail Infrastructure has offered a bid of BGN 217.9 million. For 2017 Infrastructural Construction AD has revenues of BGN 35 million and 60 employees. Their partner, the Spanish Marco Obra Audience, works in Mexico, Africa and South America. This order is the largest that the National Railway Infrastructure Company announced in 2018. The construction will have to be completed for four years. The order is financed under the Operational Program "Transport and Transport Infrastructure" and is part of the large project "Rehabilitation of the Plovdiv - Bourgas Phase 2 railway line" for EUR 414 million.
Source: Capital (06.06.2019)

The maritime and railway transport in Burgas connected under a European project A European project for the expansion and development of port terminals in Burgas envisages full integration between sea and rail transport, as well as a significant increase in the capacity of the Bulgarian port. BMF Port Burgas - the concessionaire of the port terminals Burgas East - 2 and Burgas West successfully completed the activities of the European project: "East to West. Access to the OEM Corridor (Orient/Eastern Mediterranean Transport Corridor) through the Burgas Central Port. Studies for the completion of the port infrastructure and railway connections.” Feasibility studies were carried out within the project and a preliminary and technical project for the completion of the port infrastructure and railway connections have been prepared. The project has an indicative value of EUR 2,670,000, with 85% of this amount or EUR 2,269,500 being awarded under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), Transport sector, as a grant.
Source: Other (30.09.2019)

Bulgaria’s NRIC signs BGN 185 million contract for new signalling system on Plovdiv – Bourgas railway Bulgaria’s National Railway Infrastructure Company (NRIC) signed on October 3 a contract worth close to BGN 185 million with the Plobur Consortium for the design and construction of signalling and telecommunications system on the railway line between the cities of Plovdiv and Bourgas. The consortium is made up of Bulgaria’s GP Group, Marmet Ltd, and Italian and Polish subsidiaries of Canada’s transportation industry giant Bombardier. The project is being co-funded with European Union funds, by the Cohesion Fund through the Operational Programme 2014-2020. It involves renovating signalling systems at 18 railway stations, the construction of a new ECTS (European Train Control System) and CCTV system, a new train protection system in the section between Manole and Bourgas – a length of 271km, monitoring of rolling stock parameters, telecommunication equipment in the Plovdiv-Bourgas section, which is 293 km long, passenger information devices and GSM-R train communication system, a statement by the NRIC said. The project also involves updates to signalling facilities at 15 stations, telecommunications facilities at 31 stations, as well as other items. The implementation period for the project is 48 months, NRIC said.
Source: Monitor (04.10.2019)

Bulgaria's NRIC signs 5.5 mln euro deal for Stara Zagora railway station upgrade Bulgaria's state-owned National Railway Infrastructure Company (NRIC) said on Monday that it has signed a BGN 10.7 million contract with a tie-up of four local companies for the reconstruction of Stara Zagora railway station. The railway station will be upgraded by a tie-up of local Parsek Group, Prestige Business-93, Bigla - III and ATM, NRIC said in a notice. According to registry agency data, Parsek Group and Prestige Business-93 hold stakes of 35% each in the tie-up, Bigla - III owns 25%, while ATM has 5% interest. The contract was signed of October 25, according to the notice. Five bidders took part in the public procurement procedure for awarding the contract. The project benefits from EU funding under Operational Programme Transport and Transport Infrastructure 2014-2020.
Source: Capital (28.10.2019)

The repair of the Elin Pelin-Vakarel section will swallow half a billion levs The National Railway Infrastructure Company has signed a contract for the modernization of the Elin Pelin-Vakarel railway section. The segment is from LOT 1 from the project "Modernization of the Elin Pelin-Kostenets railway section". The section between Elin Pelin and Vakarel is the most difficult to perform on the whole route between Sofia and Plovdiv. Its length is approximately 20 km and it covers the largest railway tunnel in Bulgaria, 6.8 km long, which will be built in a tunnel way and will be fully compatible with the requirements for interoperability. The scope of the project includes a new contact network and new systems and facilities for external power supply and external lighting of the station areas. Two two-pipe tunnels with an approximate total length of 1.5 km, a road overpass and a road underpass will also be constructed. The value of the construction contract is BGN 498 800 012 excluding VAT. The implementation period is 72 months.
Source: Banker (28.11.2019)