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)

BDZ plans to invest BGN 71 million in improving the service The BDZ business plan for 2019 sets the capital investment to improve the service provided for passenger transport to amount to more than BGN 71 million. Of these, BGN 65 million are only planned to improve the condition of the rolling stock. Preliminary data for 2018 in BDZ - Passenger Traffic EOOD show that in 2018 the revenues of the company are formed from BGN 51 million sales, BGN 10.4 million compensation and BGN 175 million subsidy, or a total of BGN 236.4 million, which is 2.7 million BGN below the planned ones. Operating expenses amounted to BGN 215.2 million, by BGN 10 million less than forecasted, with the savings being made from external service and energy costs. As a result, the company will make a net profit of nearly BGN 1 million for the first time in 6 years.
Source: 24 chasa (06.03.2019)

Bulgaria's BDZ Passengers signs spare parts supply deal with Czechia's SSS Trade Bulgaria's BDZ Passengers, part of state-owned railway group BDZ Holding, said on Monday that it has singed a 1.1 million levs ($632,000/562,000 euro) deal with the local branch of SSS Trade Czech Republic for supply of spare parts for electric railcars. The deal was signed on February 18, BDZ Passengers said in a notice. Two companies filed bids in the public procurement procedure for awarding the contract.
Source: economic.bg (12.03.2019)

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)

BDZ invited Alstom and Stadler for the big train repair BDZ is pushing one of the "fattest" public procurement contracts that has been running since the beginning of 2017. It is about the repair of the diesel and electric Siemens wagons, owned by BDZ - Passenger Transports. The value of the order is BGN 137 million, excluding VAT. Last Thursday, the holding invited the Romanian branch of French giant Alstom and the Hungarian division of the Swiss Stadler to direct negotiations. Their bids will be open on July 24. The large sum is for 5 years of technical support for 22 diesel and 24 electric wagons. The order was blocked for a long time by a series of scandals. During the previous procedure, the manufacturer Siemens and Express Service - the factory in Ruse, which deals with railway repairs, were disqualified. The Bulgarian enterprise was cut off on the grounds that it did not have the required certificate from the Railway Infrastructure Executive Agency. Express Service has said they could repair the wagons at a much lower price. Siemens was removed as it had named Express Service as a subcontractor.
Source: Sega (29.05.2019)

Holding BDZ will no longer rely on additional funds from the state Henceforth, Holding BDZ will hardly need extra financial aid. The financial position of the three companies in the holding is the main focus of the new management, said Grigori Grigorov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of BDZ Holding. According to him, the holding is developing very well, the costs are limited and the focus in the last months is on the sale of non-operating assets. Freight transport reported a slight decline in May, resulting in annual revenue reductions of 3-4%. For passenger transport, revenue growth is about 2.5% for the first five months of the year, he said. According to Grigorov, a further increase in wages in Holding BDZ could be expected with a new increase in minimum wages.
Source: investor.bg (19.06.2019)

We would choose our seats on the train with the new BDZ system BDZ - Passenger Transport and Information Services started the implementation in the real environment of the reservation module in the ticketing system. Tickets will soon be available to buy online, which will reduce the ability to buy transportation documents with no accountability. Thanks to the new system, customers will be able to choose a place of their own in the wagon. It is important for the system to function properly in a real environment. The national carrier announced that steps had been taken to remedy any inaccuracies in a timely manner. During the implementation of the system, two-screen displays will be installed in the main ticket offices and railroad offices to visualize seats on the train, facilitating customer choice. Transport Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov announced that no radical change in the price of rail should be expected. Within the 3-year budget forecast, the BDZ subsidy will not undergo a radical change and therefore relies on better absorption of European funds.
Source: Banker (21.08.2019)

BDZ will invest BGN 295 million in upgrading its trains At least BGN 295 million will be invested by BDZ by the end of 2024 in the renovation of many of the old and depreciated trains. All public procurement can be carried out without external lending, as the company has sufficient cash flows, which, however, have not been used so far due to poor management. It is not a question of the state subsidy of BGN 175 million a year, which BDZ-Passenger Transport receives under its contract with the state until its expiration in 2024. The amount is earmarked to cover the costs of social rail transport and maintenance on trains on less busy railway lines. However, the company also receives a capital transfer of BGN 39 million annually for the repair and purchase of new rolling stock. Thus, for the five years to the end of 2024, the company will receive BGN 195 million from the state earmarked for the modernization of its trains.
Source: economic.bg (21.10.2019)

BDZ Holding will be liquidated by the end of January BDZ Holding will cease to exist until the end of January next year. Its freight and passenger subsidiaries will be transformed into joint-stock companies in the hope that the two companies will get out of their deteriorating state. This was decided by the board of directors of the parent company. Their intention was supported by the Minister of Transport. Instead of one manager, BDZ Passenger Transport and BDZ Freight will have boards of directors to make decisions. One of the reasons for the reform is the decline in financial performance, which is not a surprise given the tragic state of the holding for many years, and its accumulated debts. Months ago, the state gave about BGN 200 million to help BDZ cover them. For the first six months of the year, the loss of the holding is just over BGN 9 million, the financial statement of the company shows. For the next three years, BDZ Passenger Transport will receive BGN 175 million annually, which is foreseen in the mid-term budget forecast for the period 2020-2022. The same period also envisages funds for the capital expenditures of the future joint-stock company from the state budget.
Source: Sega (30.10.2019)

BDZ will buy and rent locomotives for almost BGN 80 million BDZ - Passenger Transport is determined to part with its bad image. In an attempt to renovate its old trains and put an end to the delays, the company plans to buy, rent and repair a total of 24 locomotives for almost BGN 80 million. To that end, the company has launched a series of public procurement contracts that come a month after BDZ - Passenger Transport opened another procedure - for the purchase of 40 new coaches for almost the same amount. The largest order is for the delivery of 10 new locomotives - BGN 57.5 million, excluding VAT. The price includes warranty support. The aim is to invite selected participants to negotiate by the end of February. However, whether this deadline will be respected depends on whether there will be an appeal against the procedure and how long it will continue. Judging by the practice of conducting large auctions, this is almost guaranteed. The selected company must deliver the locomotives within 54 months, or up to 4.5 years. The main criterion for choosing a supplier will be the price, and the warranty period and delivery time of the machines themselves will "weigh" less.
Source: Sega (20.11.2019)

BDZ has signed its most expensive contract so far BDZ - Passenger Transport EOOD has signed its most expensive contract so far - about BGN 137 million excluding VAT. It is with Alstom Transport and is in charge of repair and maintenance of Siemens electric and diesel engines. The contract is for a term of 5 years. According to the Commission for Protection of Competition (CPC), the antitrust authority has not received a complaint from the Swiss-based company Stadler against the public procurement of BDZ-Passenger Transport for the repair and maintenance of Siemens electric and diesel engines. This automatically meant that the contract with the winning company Alstom Transport would be concluded by Christmas.
Source: economic.bg (18.12.2019)

4 major manufacturers compete for delivering electric locomotives to Bulgaria Bombardier Transportation GmbH, Siemens Tron, Exelor-EL Consortium and Stadler Rail Valencia SAU have applied for participation in the public procurement for delivery and maintenance of new electric locomotives for the passenger transport department of the Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ). The estimated value of the contract is BGN 57.5 million, VAT not included. The signing of the contract is planned to take place by March 2020 and the delivery of the first new locomotives is planned to happen within 18 months after the signing. In the meantime, the Council of Ministers decided to extend the deadline for repayment of the obligations by BDZ on the interest-free loan of BGN 62 million until March 31, 2020. The funds were provided to the state railway for repayment of overdue debts to the revenue agency.
Source: Dnevnik (20.12.2019)