Timisoara Rail Region

and its Troubles

The rail region located in Banat is one of the most important units of CFR SA, taking advantage of the most capacious railway network in the country. On its territory western border with Europe is also locate, being concentrated the most transited railway spots. There should be also mentioned the fact that there is swept a great section of the pan-European Corridor IV.
Yet, besides its material "dowry", Timisoara Rail Region is also vaunting with laborious and ambitious personnel, which carries on a precious inheritance: an old and lasting railway tradition of self-denial and devotion.

In the previous issue of the magazine, I have tried to crayon a few things about my short visit made at Timisoara Rail Region. Helped by my interlocutor, the director Iulian Stefanescu, I have consigned the modality in which the main projects of the activity program have been started off and finalized during the current year. During the time he has available for us - indeed, too short for how many things he would have wanted to share with us -, we have succeeded to also approach the shortcomings which have occurred under the "roof" of Timisoara Rail Region. As the rail region director was appreciating, there are no problems that could not be solved, yet there are for sure troublemakers.
The most acute problem, which the railway employees from Timisoara are confronting with, is … the claim for the rail region building by other two institutions! The conflict has been even presented at the court of justice! Everything has started since the revolution. The first trials has been initiated by the Territorial Arrangement Undertaking (SCELIF), and in 1998 have been also "contaminated" the ones from the Romanian Water System Department. They state that the headquarter of the Rail Region would have belonged to Timis Bega trade union and that they are the successors in right of this trade union, which has been developed in year 1953, pursuant to the nationalization of the hydraulic trade unions. Legally speaking, through the annulment of the respective trade union, the building should have entered in the possession of the Romanian state. Presently, we are checking at Cluj, in all the territorial survey archive - the Territorial Evidence. Its existence would represent a lot for us, because the rest of the country has no territorial survey. Anyway, the document from Cluj is the only one that can prove who is the owner of this building. If we are lucky to find the document proving that the state has become its owner, we have all the chances to stay in the building", the director has declared, very realistic and confident in what the future will have in store for the railway employees from Timisoara.
Up to the moment I have edited the article, the director has found out that the Waters Department has been already handed out with a verdict from Timis Court of Justice according to which it is declared the owner of the building; they did not disarmed yet: "We still have means of attack that we are going to explore soon. We have a source that has strengthen our conviction that the document we are talking about exists. That is our chance to win! The only way to keep the headquarter of the rail region! Thus, there will be very difficult to stay in the battle", he has also added.

The CFR cultural club Banateana

This edifice, located in the center of Timisoara is in the ownership of CFR for over 50 years. "Our rail region has remained, seemingly, the only institution in the town which has its own club.
It's true, due to pecuniary reasons, we had to rent to other firms a few spaces inside the building, for various activities - aerobics, ballet, karate, sportive dance. Representing that we are helping others, and this way we succeed to maintain the building of the club", the director has declared.
In point of the CFR Cultural Club Timisoara we should tell you that, besides the show room - endowed with 450 seats -, we have available a library (the second as importance and size after the Timis District Library), which shelters over 64,000 tomes (technical, literature, philosophy, science, history and art), and training and sport halls. Still in this precinct the activity of the famous folklore assembly Banateana is also unfolded. Its successes are known on national plan, as well as international, fact that naturally brings an additional prestige to Timisoara Rail Region. "The Assembly Banateana, which means 12 couples of dancers, a folk music band and a brass band, represents our pride. Due to their work and the successes they have registered, we are also well-known abroad. That is why, on behalf of all the railway employees from this corner of the country, I would like to address through the agency of your magazine, many thanks", the director Stefanescu has also added.
The football team - CFR Timisoara - also represents an achievement of the rail region, which plays in D Division. In the last two years, the team has succeeded to win its series, but it has "hindered" at tiebreakers. "The acme of bad luck: we are loosing at 11 meters!" - the director has told us smiling, hoping that during the current championship the team will register a notable success, especially that there is no tiebreaker.

The CFR Kindergarten

Accompanied by another hospitable railway employee from Timisoara. Mr. Ovidiu Pui, the chief of the Real Estate Department, I have also visited other units of the rail region. I should confess that I have discovered in my guide a very devoted and very obliging person. As, in fact, all the railway employees from this corner of the country are, he has also added.
After leaving the building of the rail region, I have taken the main thoroughfare from Timisoara, guarded by the old and extremely beautiful buildings. Captivated by the animated sight of the town and listening carefully the timely explanations of Mr. Pui, I found myself on a very narrow street, behind a few blocks were the silence was at ease. "We have reached the destination", Mr Pui has announced me.
We were in front of a two floors building, which seemed freshly painted and looked like a house of the dwarfs from the fairy tales. It was the CFR Kindergarten. We have entered the inside yard. There was arranged a little park with a few swings and a topogan. Reaching the front door we rang.
We have been welcomed by Mrs. Mihaela Matei, the director of the kindergarten. A very nice lady, always smiling. We have already found out from Mr. Pui that Mrs. Matei is a very devoted person, a real mother for the railway employees' children; she knocked every door in order to get some material support for the modernization of the kindergarten. 
In the short time we have spent with Mrs. Matei, I have discovered a very tenacious, persistent and self-assured woman. I say that because, after two years of running to and for from door to door and making thousands of phone calls, she has succeeded what she has proposed: to "build" to the children a dream place, conceived after a pattern from the tales world.
"We have finalized the hygiene works at the kindergarten last year. In fact, the renovation has been made in 2000, and during the time there have been brought several improvements. I owe these achievements mainly to the two extraordinary persons within the rail region, Mr. Iulian Stefanescu, the director of the rail region and Mr. Ovidiu Pui, the head of the Real Estate Division, who have been always right besides me; without their support I would not have made it. I have always wanted for these children not to miss their parents during their time spent here. We have tried to create not only the best teaching conditions, also a very adequate atmosphere to their age: new and very modern furniture, new sanitary groups, computers, where they are learning English language, lockers, dinning rooms, and also new furniture and a lecturing room. And I think we have succeeded that: they are very happy here", the director has declared to us.
CFR Kindergarten shelters, in average in the three groups, 60 children. The majority are railway employees' kids, but there are not denied other demands either. The schedule starts at 6.00 a.m. and ends at 6.00 p.m.. The parents bring their children around 6.30. At 8.30 they are having breakfast. Around 9.00 - 9.30 the didactic schedule is starting, with a few games first of all and then with a few effective lessons, according to the schedule established by each teacher.
During our short walk through the teaching rooms, if we can call them like that, I have been nicely impressed. Each little man has his own bench - where, in a disorder typical to the kids, there were spread all over the place the watercolors and the sheets of paper, or the wax, or books with drawn images -, where everyone was minding its own business. Indeed, I said to myself, "the little dwarfs" are really happy here; dearly protected and well cared, they do not even realize what hard times we are forced to live in.
After lunch, the children are sleeping, up to 3.00 p.m., when the first parents come to pick them up. The schedule of the little ones is ended around 6.00 p.m., and the schedule of the personnel later on in the night, after making all the preparations for the next day. Asked about who is in charge with the medical care of the children, Mrs. Mihaela has declared: "Even if we are not endowed with our own cabinet, I have to tell you that every week there is a nurse coming to make a detailed check up of all the children. Up to the present time we had no serious problems, yet, when in need, there is an emergency number that we can call in any case. The parents are very content of the way their children are taken care of here. They have all necessary conditions. Probably that is why we have also demands from outside CFR institution employees. According to the available places, after solving the demands of the railway employees, we still sign in a few other children. Now, since we have new beds, overfloored, it is easier. By all means, there are also cases that we have admitted because the children remain here only by lunch time".
I have been very impressed by the care which the railway employees from Timisoara are showing to their heiress, fact that, although the ones from the management of the rail region are fighting with a very busy schedule, they still have time not to ignore the children's world, trying hard to make it always more beautiful. When the director is very busy, the contact between the kindergarten and the rail region is kept through Mr. Ovidiu Pui.
The will to transmit to their children, still since they are young, as many information about the railways is very remarkable. They know what means a railway station, a train or a rail region. Additionally, during the Holidays, the children are welcomed to sing carols in the railway units, and after finishing the carols they are offered wonderful presents. Mrs. director Mihaela Matei has also confided me a dream of hers: up to the end of he year, she would like to offer to the children a travel by nostalgia train up to Bazias: "I will submitted this proposal to the rail region director. I am sure he will agree with that."

CFR stadium - between two owners

After leaving this fairy tales world I have been waken up to the real world. And that, because I found out about a problem that is perturbing the waters within the Rail Region in Timisoara. Namely, the situation of CFR stadium and the terrace Eminescu which are, also disputed, by…two owners: Timisoara Rail Region and a private person. As the situation seems like, the respective objective has been false pretence transferred from CFR ownership to the current owners. The Railway Trade Union Alliance (ASF) within the rail region from Timisoara has been assigned to represent in court the railway interest, as former owners. The trials have started a few years ago, they have passed from a civil trial to a penal one, and invers, and the situation has remained unchanged yet.
The Railway Trade Union Alliance sustains that their intabulare has been performed with false documents. Under the generic name Eminescu terrace, the inhabitants of Timisoara understand, in fact, the headquarters of the club, with all its endowments: conference room, dinning room, canteen, and protocol hall. This one, together with the stadium - with the football, tennis, handball, volley fields, and the pool and a kayak canoe base -, were part of the real estate of Timisoara rail region. The director Iulian Stefanescu was telling us: "A few years ago, a group of people who have joined the administration of our sportive club have founded, by false documents, another club, in parallel - we are calling it the ghost-club -, and they have sold the stadium to a wealthy man. On what basis, it's only up to their understanding. The one that has bought the field is a certain Mr. Gheorghiu, in my opinion, a person that is not to be blamed of anything, because the only thing he did is to buy the field. Instead of it, the notary who has drawn up the documents has already our files; there is still to prove the implication of Mrs. Gabriela Miron, the person who has forged the documents. She is part of the ghost-club, and, in the same time, she has been the contact person between the local council and the notary."
According to the address of ASF, sent to Timisoara Court of Justice in year 2000: "Mrs. Miron has formulated a demand for registering a building in the Territorial Evidence 66,149, under no. Top 1,385; 9,531 and 9,51 4, attaching in this respect the address of the City Hall of Timisoara Municipal with no. 32,455/iv/03.12.1990". The titular has not submitted the demand, as the railway employees are saying, and Gabriela Miron had no legalized or authenticated mandate and no power of attorney. The registration in the Territorial Evidence has been in fact performed by a person outside the respective institution, Mr. Aftene Chiriac -, who has been illegitimately allowed the access to Service of the Territorial Evidence Department. On the other hand, the registration of the ownership right on the respective buildings was based on documents which did not meet all the requirements for the validation of a legal document, because there were missing a few plan sketches counseled by the District Office of Land Registration from Timisoara, documents that were referring to the prominence of the buildings on the correct land registration holding. The document that has been issued by the City Hall of Timisoara in 1990 is also referring to the buildings found in the operative administration of CFR Sportive Club, they being built in fact, by the Rail Region. According to the railway trade unionists, the respective document has been once again used in false pretence in year 1991, when, based on that, the CFR Sportive Company in Timisoara has been intabulat, without the agreement of the City Hall. Later on, the above-mentioned company, being sold to certain physical persons -Dorel Gheorghiu and Florin Ionescu -, adverse to the Government Decision no. 880/1992, which forbids the change of goods destination, has alienated the goods. Therefore, the Railway Trade Union Alliance sustains that the goods have been illegally intabulate. To the end of the last year, the alliance was informed, by the Parchet near the Supreme Court of Justice that there has been disposed the continuation of the inquisition against Mr. Aftene Chiriac and the other persons involved in.
Taking into consideration the results of the trials obtained up to the present time, the railway employees consider that there are great chances that these files…would not be solved ever."
In sum, the director has declared to us the beginning of the whole story. "In 1946, the Local Council of Timisoara town has attributed to the railway trade unions these two holding of land from Timisoara Complex" one of them - for the building of a stadium and the other one - for the arrangement of an entertaining park. The stadium has been built near the railway station, and the park, on the promenade between the two bridges in the neighborhood. Our mistake has been registered when we have not intabulat after the revolution these two lands. Based on this long-term usage document we could have asked to the City Hall to become the definitive owners of the land. We have not proceed likewise, and in 1998 from the old sportive club has been detached this ghost-branch, which has drawn up the false documents of intabulare on the surfaces that, in fact, have been given to us in usage by the state.
In time, this branch has formed an independent association, aside from the CFR Sportive Association, which has succeeded, by a false document, to intabuleze all the fields that we own. Our question would be "how was possible the selling of the fields with false documents?" by all means, the buyer is not to be blamed. He is only a good payer. Still, our luck is the fact that the public notary who has performed the intabulare has recognized that the transaction has been performed with false documents. We are hoping that the justice will make its job. Especially that the whole town is aware of the fact that this stadium belongs to CFR!"
Up to 1989, this base had available a football, boxing, wrestling, rowing and skittles sections. Unfortunately, there are still in use only the football and rowing sections, the latest one being under the aegis of the ghost-club. The other sections have been annulled due to the precarious financial situation. The football section has still past through difficulties, due to the financial support offered by the three railway units - Infrastructure, Freight and Passengers - and by other supporters, especially the retired persons, who proved to be very passionate supporters. Although these persons are experiencing hard times presently, they are still trying to remember especially the beautiful moments spent on "their own field". They are convinced that everything will work out just fine in their favor, even if this fact could happen in God knows how many years from now on.
A great sportswoman, a personality of the rail region, is the engineer Laura Maria Vuculescu, world and European champion at kick-boxing. In her spare time she is practicing this sport, being in the same time a trainer. Even if she develops her activity at a club that does not belong to CFR, all the railway employees appreciate her and they are proud with her performances. Mr. director Iulian Stefanescu told us that the strong character of this sportswoman who is also employed within the rail region impressed him.

The first man in the rail region

…although there would have been much more to find out about the people from the rail region which represents the western side of the country, the short time did not allow us, unfortunately, to hang out around long enough.
Still, on our way to the railway station, talking about this and that, we have also found out from Mr. Stefanescu, our host, that being the director of a rail region as Timisoara means, in fact, a great responsibility. "Just a few days ago the prefect was telling me that the management of the Railways is more difficult to manage than the other institutions from Timis district", Mr. Iulian Stefanescu was confessing me.
The agenda of this director is very busy: starts at 6:45 a.m., when he is talking with the operators from the night shift. At 7.30 a.m. he is attending the "morning analysis meeting", and about 8.00 a.m. up to 6.00 p.m. the current activities of the rail region are unfolded, which for the director represent visiting a working point, checking on the field, an analysis regarding the safety traffic and other current issues. Between 6.00 - 6.30 p.m. there is a video-speaker meeting, which takes place up to 8.00 p.m..
In the most joyful case, the director was saying, "I finish at 8.00 p.m., but quite often there happens to conclude my work day around 10.00 p.m. also. In order to have the activities within the rail region performed correctly it is very important to keep in touch with the management of the district councils and of the prefectures in the four districts. It would be very difficult otherwise. We need all the support they can get us!" Mr. Iulian Stefanescu, the director, has finally added.

…on threshold of the Holidays!

On the travel back… the night was slowly falling, and my thoughts were still in Timisoara. In this wonderful town the winter was starting to make her presence felt. And generally it is not more docile in this region, but, as these wonderful persons whom I have just met were saying, sometimes invites dreaming, even the most pragmatic and realistic persons. And that, certainly due to the fact that the Holly Holidays, which confer to the white season a very special affective meaning.
Come on, let's wait for it, to spread its white robe over the towns, to transform the trees in real silver candelabrums! As for us, sticking our noses to the cold windows, to delight ourselves looking this wonderful sight, to which majesty… we do not make any contribution.

Oana Branzan