According to union leader Ion Radoi, the Government is going to discuss a draft decision to outsource the telecom services and equipment, like fiber optic and traffic security systems, provided to the Ministry of Transport. He warns that this would lead to a loss of supervision and signal failures, causing trains to derail.
Radoi highlighted that nowhere in the world are the transport telecom services provided by outside contractors, adding that subway operator Metrorex has invested EUR100 million in equipment alone, in the last two years.
The unions are determined to hold protests and a general strike if the Government approves this decision.
Metrorex outsources train maintenance, having paid contractor Alstom 146 million lei (EUR33.56 million) last year and estimates these expenses will rise in 2012 by 7.5%, to RON157 million. The cost paid last year exceeds the amount of RON123.21 million approved by the Government in the budget revision last November by 18.4%.
In 2011, Metrorex and Alstom renegotiated the maintenance contract, reducing costs by 30% for that year and by 34% for the remainder of the contracted period, until 2018. The contract was signed in 2003 for 15 years. (EUR1=RON4.3497)