site.btaUPDATED Village Mayors in SW Bulgaria Threaten to Block Struma Highway as State Railway Operator Plans to Replace Trains with Buses

Mayors of settlements in Petrich Municipality threaten to block Struma Motorway to protest a decision of the Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ) to temporarily replace passenger trains with bus transport in the region, General Todorov Mayor Stanislav Stankov told BTA on Thursday.

On Wednesday, BDZ announced plans to temporarily suspend passenger train services between Kulata and Petrich and replace them with buses from August 1 to the end of September. The operator said the decision was prompted by the limited availability of rolling stock and the need to prioritize the busiest railway routes. It was based on a detailed analysis of the passenger flow, which shows very low average daily passenger numbers on the affected route: the trains have 80 seats and only 4% of those are used on average, BDZ said.

The mayors argue that the decision will hurt many, impacting worst commuters, including students and workers.

"They are cancelling trains and deciding that people will travel by buses, which will extend the travel time by more than 30 minutes. There is no way anyone can convince me that a 30-kilometre bus trip is more profitable than a nine-kilometer train trip", Stankov stated, adding that every year, BDZ undertakes changes which "are testing people's nerves and checking whether they will react".

He emphasized that they have prepared a petition demanding that the decision of the railway company not enter into force, which is supported by mayors of settlements, municipality mayor and deputy mayors and MPs. "We want the trains to run as they have been doing so far. Otherwise, we will take strike action", Stankov stressed.

Petrich Deputy Mayor Minka Salagyorova told the media that there is no logic for railway lines to be closed when there are many tourists visiting sites in the region such as Heraclea Sintika.

Marikostinovo Village Mayor Gergana Todorova emphasized that there is a popular balneological centre in Marikostinovo, which will struggle, as less people are going to have the possibility to go there. "Imagine a vacationer with suitcases. How will he get from Petrich to Marikostinovo or to Heraclea Sintica?," she asked. She stressed that the decision will disrupt people's lives in all settlements in the municipality.