BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T PAID THE INFRASTRUCTURE DUTY Seven railroad operators run the risk of seeing their trains unable to leave the stations

A number of 22 trains (20 of CFR Călători, one of CFR Marfă and one from Transferoviar Grup) were held last weekend in the railway stations, being temporarily restricted from using the infrastructure, as they had not paid their infrastructure duty, market sources told us.

They told us that at first, it was CFR Infrastructură that notified the railroad operators in question, after calling their representatives in for conciliation, and informing them once again about their situation in the end.

"If they do not pay this time either, a permanent ban could be put in placer", our sources added.

Officials from the Ministry of Transports (MT) told us that these measures are stipulated in the contracts concluded between the parties, and stressed that four freight operators and three passenger carriers did not pay the duty for using the infrastructure.

The aforementioned companies owe CFR Infrastructură a total of 984.5 million lei, source from the Ministry of Transports told us. The amount includes the unpaid fee and the delay penalties.

When asked by BURSA whether Grup Feroviar Român (GFR) is in the situation above, Sorin Chinde, the CEO of GFR said: "Grup Feroviar Român was not concerned by this measure. GFR has paid all its duties in full and has invested almost 100 million Euros in infrastructure in the last few years alone, in spite the crisis, as well as paid 200 million Euros in taxes to the state budget. We feel that this action of the authorities is a step towards normalcy. The contractual obligations must be abided".

At the end of April, CFR SA announced that the management of the company has decided to begin all the procedures for the collect the amounts which the railroad operators did not pay, by enacting all the contractual clauses.