The Belgrade Public Transport Company (GSP) is on the verge of having its electricity, gas and fuel supplies for public transport vehicles cut off because of mounting debts to suppliers, the company’s “Centar” union has warned. Unless a solution is found urgently, Belgrade residents could face fewer vehicles on the streets, while the company also risks having its bank accounts blocked.

Ivan Banković, president of the GSP “Centar” union, said the company had been notified in recent days that gas supplies for buses would be suspended from November 4 because of unpaid obligations.

According to him, GSP owes 250 million dinars to Bedem and another 350 million dinars to Cryo Gas, while its debt for diesel fuel has reached almost 900 million dinars.

Electricity cutoff also looms

Banković said that Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) had issued a final warning before suspending electricity supplies because bills had gone unpaid for several months.

A potential cutoff would affect office buildings, transport depots, as well as the power supply to the tram and trolleybus systems.

“This situation is beyond the company’s control, as the mounting debts to suppliers are the result of funds not being paid out from the City of Belgrade budget,” Banković warned.

He added that GSP also owes hundreds of millions of dinars to private companies responsible for maintaining the public transport operator’s buses, including DAT Holding, MPN Promet and SDT Group.

According to him, these companies have been placed in an extremely difficult position because they have effectively been working for months without compensation.

Reduced number of vehicles and account blockade possible

Unless the debts are settled urgently, GSP could be forced to reduce the number of vehicles in service.

Banković warned that creditors could also pursue compulsory collection of their claims, potentially resulting in the blockade of the public transport operator’s bank accounts, further jeopardizing the operation of the public transport system.

Union directly calls out Šapić

In response to the alarming situation, the union publicly demanded answers from Belgrade Mayor Aleksandar Šapić, stating that he had been fully briefed on all the problems two days earlier.

“We publicly ask Belgrade Mayor Aleksandar Šapić, who was presented with these details two days ago, when and how he intends to resolve these problems, for which the still-current city administration bears the greatest responsibility,” Banković said.

He stressed that nearly one million Belgrade residents use public transport every day and that more than 5,000 GSP employees are also waiting for concrete answers.

“We understand that the mayor does not use public transport, but nearly one million Belgrade residents do, and all those citizens, as well as more than 5,000 GSP employees, deserve to receive concrete answers and a solution to this crisis as soon as possible,” Banković stated.

The union president warned that if the city authorities fail to act urgently, Šapić and his associates will bear responsibility for any consequences affecting citizens and employees.

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