The Bucharest Court of Appeal (CAB) admitted the objection filed by French company Alstom and invalidated the EUR 640 million contract signed by the Railway Reform Authority (ARF) with the Polish producer Pesa for the delivery of 62 short-distance electric trains. 

It is the second contract awarded by ARF to Polish Pesa that is invalidated by CAB at the request of Alstom. The previous contract, awarded in September 2023, regarded 20 long-distance trains for a total amount of EUR 233 million.

At the same time, Alstom accumulated penalties in a total amount of RON 190 million (EUR 38 million) for failure to deliver the subway and railway trains to Metrorex and ARF, respectively.

In December, the Romanian body specialized in addressing such objections related to EUR 640 million public procurement procedures (CNSC) rejected Alstom’s objections. CNSC had previously rejected Alstom’s objection related to the EUR 233 million. According to Romanian regulations, however, CNSC’s rulings can be appealed to the Court of Appeal.

The selection procedure for the 62 short-distance trains will be resumed, according to Mainnews.ro. 

However, the contract, as well as the one for the 20 long-distance trains, is financed under the National Resilience Plan (PNRR), therefore the delivery should be made by the end of 2026.

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Facebook/Autoritatea pentru Reforma Feroviara)