“State Bodies Only Made the Work More Difficult Instead of Supporting It.” The Head of Moldova Railway Explained the Reasons for His Resignation

Lack of tools for decision-making and state support, constant pressure. This is how the head of Moldova Railway, Oleg Tofilat, explained his decision to resign from his office. According to him, the tools that were at the disposal of the head of Moldova Railway did not allow him to maintain the company’s marketability and to take the necessary measures to intervene in its operation. It was necessary to increase capitalization, obtain loan guarantees, sell off non-performing assets, receive annual budget allocations for infrastructure and passenger transport - none of these things are within the authority of Moldova Railway head; politicians make the decisions. Moreover, often these decisions are late and insufficient, Tofilat complaints. “We have discordant political and corporate views on risks, priorities and actions, completely different approaches. Is the railway a business or a public interest service? Should the railway maintain itself or receive contributions from the budget? In my opinion, about 20% of the railway sector’s income should be provided by the budget. Right now, it is at zero. Therefore, any decrease in demand for transport leads to difficulties with payments,” Tofilat said. He believes that the head of Moldova Railway should have more decision-making freedom or the company is doomed to remain in its current state, unable to withstand competition. Tofilat cited “lack of protection from adverse interference from justice and regulatory bodies” as another reason for leaving the post. According to him, multiple reports make the job difficult, various bodies seeks to interfere with the company’s operations rather than cooperate and support its revival. “In a situation where the company is in danger and the chief executive and senior officials cannot come to a common vision on how to solve the problem, I believe that the executive in charge has a duty to resign. I will be submitting my performance report soon - and I am proud of Moldova Railway’s achievements over the past three years. I am grateful to my management colleagues and the entire railway staff - together we have achieved these successes,” Tofilat noted. He concluded by noting that during his three years of work, he had shown how the Railway can become a useful resource, not just a problem. And if the efforts of the Railway management and the state stay on the same course, then all problems can be solved.