EDITORIAL  

NOW IS THE TIME!

Here we are at the beginning of another year. A year that we would like to have it richer in achievements than the one we have just parted with a while ago. Thinking back to what year 2002 had meant for us, for the institutions where we are developing our activity, generally for the Romanians, we step in 2003 hoping for better…
Before setting out to the road, lets cast once again a glance over the year we have recently just concluded, in order to outline a clearer image of the present.
As we all know already, for the Romanian Railways 2002 has been a good year. Why? For example, because, on its way, CFR has made significant steps in respect to its real connection to the requirements of the present time: it has signed important international conventions aiming the modernization and the efficiency of the entire activity and it has succeeded to start off a series of far-reaching projects, which will be shortly materialized in achievements meant to align the Romanian railway transport to the Occidental standards.
Therefore, the current moment is a really decisive one: we are summoned to write another reference page in the history of the Romanian Railway! This mission is more important and more justifying as much as CFR had never had the most glittering period than the one that is presently experienced.
The current political, economical and social, internal and international context is an extremely favorable one for CFR. The closer connections with the Occident - "a favorable wind blowing" from that direction, the railway transport, seen as the most viable movement mode for people and goods, because it is cheaper, safer and less polluting -, to which there is added the support of the political and economical decision factors, the new strategies adopted by the railway companies, alike more realistic, more resolute and closer to the European standards, as well as the provision of certain considerable financial resources from the various banks and international bodies etc., etc., etc. everything is outlining the image of the present time that is under the best auspices. Their putting to account will have a decisive impact on the ulterior evolution of CFR, granting dimensions closer and closer to the current standards and tendencies for the development of the railway transports on international plan, as well as for Romania, as candidate country for the integration in the European Union, making its determining contribution to the transposition to life of this desideratum.
The continuation in a sustained rhythm of the revitalization programs for the national railway infrastructure, having as priority the railway sections included in the pan-European corridors, the modernization and the rejuvenation of the rolling stock fleet in order to provide the train traffic with an increased speed, at a superior level of comfort in the passengers transport, the intensification of the concerns aiming the legal and institutional harmonization, the improvement of the managerial act, and especially the day to day endeavors of all the Romanian railway employees are the main "coordinates" of the status, a really representative one, of the Romanian Railways in Europe and worldwide.
Now it is the moment, good people, to show everyone what means the railway employee pride! Let's demonstrate what can make the Romanian when the circumstances are favorable to him!

Oana Branzan