The situation at the Moldovan Railways is becoming increasingly tense. Employees at the Balti railway hub have partially stopped work in protest over salary arrears that have been accumulating for almost 7 months. Many of them have already submitted resignation requests, and if the problem is not solved by March 17, the entire railroad activity in the north of the country could be blocked, IPN reports.
Contacted by IPN, Ion Zaporojan, president of the railroad workers' trade union federation, warns that the situation is critical. "People are desperate. They have nothing to eat, they have nothing to send their children to school with. I told the authorities to imagine not receiving their salaries for two months. CFM employees haven't received them for over half a year. How do you think they cope?" the union leader said.
The railroad situation was discussed at a meeting with Prime Minister Dorin Recean, but, according to Ion Zaporojan, the issue of salaries was not addressed: "Until today I still had an ounce of optimism, but now I realize that things are tragic."
The president of the railway workers' trade union federation also warned that the consequences could be serious if railway workers don't show up for work on March 17, and rail traffic could be paralyzed. Trains due to arrive from Ukraine will no longer reach Moldova, including those with passengers. More employees from other regions, such as Basarabeasca and Glodeni, could join the protest.
"I don't know who else to turn to..." added Ion Zaporojan.
Salary debts for the nearly 5,000 CFM employees exceed 191 million lei. Trains are facing increasing difficulties due to a lack of diesel fuel and logistical problems, and the lack of funding threatens the entire railway system. "We don't have diesel, we don't have gas, we don't have resources, but we have huge debts," Zaporojan concluded.
It was also mentioned that a new protest of the railway workers in front of the Government and the Presidency is announced for March 14. Railway workers are demanding urgent solutions before the entire rail network comes to a complete standstill.
After the meeting with Prime Minister Dorin Recean, government officials had not communicated the results of the meeting on the railroad workers' issue and the solutions to pay off the salary arrears by the time of publication.
