PM Orban says PSD Gov't is to blame regarding EC decision in CFR Marfa's case

Prime Minister-designate Ludovic Orban on Monday stated that the European Commission decision related to CFR Marfa (National Railway Company - Freight) is to be blamed on the PSD (Social Democratic Party) Government and that all measures will be taken to save this company.

"This decision has to do with a certain government that, when it increased the capital, so it basically granted a state aid, did not notify the European Commission and it did not accept the approval of the European Commission with respect to the manner in which this state aid was supposed to be carry out. We are going to take all the necessary measures to save the company. (...) You know that CFR Marfa is currently facing a specific procedure, after this companies management, as appointed by the Ministry of Transport headed by Lucian Bode, launched the arrangement procedure. And this procedure means a two-year plan to save the company, which includes selling of assets to ensure the financial resources needed to return the money to the state budget," Orban stated after the meeting of the Executive Bureau of the PNL (National Liberal Party).

The European Commission on Monday found that the railway operator CFR Marfa received an improper state aid worth at least 570 million euros as the Romanian state canceled its debts and passed on collecting debts from this company. The Commission asked the Romanian state to recover the illegal aid plus interest from CFR Marfa, the European Commission said in a press release

The EC decision provides six months to the Romanian state to implement the recovery decision, instead of the usual four months.