A private company is squeezing hundreds of millions of Romanian lei from Metrorex. It is the Metro SA company, which provides consultancy services and technical assistance for absolutely all the contracts concluded by the public company. The Prime Minister’s control body has revealed that over the recent years the private company has made from this activity about 600 million lei.
According to the contract drafted back in the 90s, Metrorex has to seek the services of Metro SA, a private company, for any contract – it could even be the change of the electric bulbs in the subway stations or installing elevators.
"The subway is much more profitable to conduct research and consultancy, rather than to build a subway line," Prime Minister Victor Ponta concluded.
During 2007-2009, the company Metrorex concluded with the private company three contracts totaling 245 million, of which 186.8 million lei have been already paid.
The amount increased in the period 2009-2011, despite the economic recess. The number of contracts doubled, and their value amounted 339.8 million lei. Around 32.6 million have already been paid, therefore the contract is currently in force.
The numbers have been revealed following checks performed by the Premier’s control body.
“Whenever some people show up to protest , ask them if by any chance they are shareholders of this company who is performing the consultancy (services)”, Ponta replied.
Metroul SA is a company privatized through MEBO, the system by which employees receive shares. Therefore, currently the company has 250 shareholders. It is not the only private company sucking money from the state company. Servcom Sindomet Company Ltd, controlled by the Metrorex Union took over all commercial and advertising spaces in the Bucharest underground, which it rents out for consistent prices. The Union is led by Ion Radoi.