Romanian passenger railway company receives EUR 33 mln COVID-19 state aid

The Romanian passenger railway company CFR Calatori will receive a Covid-aid of RON 160 mln (EUR 33 mln), transport minister Catalin Drula announced in an interview with Antena 3.

This is one of the measures taken for the recovery of the national railway operator, he explained.

The money will go into the accounts of CFR Calatori at the budget revision [typically in July], according to G4media.

"At CFR Calatori, very recently we appointed a new private manager. Together with the Board of Directors, [the new manager] Ovidiu Vizante must come with a restructuring plan by the end of the month,” minister Drula said.

As in the case of other companies that depend on the number of passengers, CFR Calatori suffered high losses due to the pandemic, he explained.

He admitted that the company also faces structural problems (as opposed to Covid-related issues), but he stressed that all the companies subordinated to the ministry incur big losses when they have fewer passengers.

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