* Unions claim that the Government is planning to do a secret privatization of CFR Călători, after it has announced already that it would sell CFR Marfă

* CFR Călători: "Such an idea was never discussed" * Ticket inspectors blamed for the company"s financial problems

Union leaders, consulted by BURSA claim that the Government is preparing to privatize CFR Călători, the traveler division of the Romanian Railway Company (CFR).

They said that they can back their claims, as the plans for the reorganization of the company - which is being monitored by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) - which include among other things layoffs and sending employees on technical unemployment by months on end are not working.

Their statements can be backed by the company"s financial status: On June 30, the debts of CFR Călători had increased 5.3 million lei from the end of March to 24.7 million lei, and by 9.5 million lei compared to December 31st 2009, according to data from the National Tax Administration (ANAF).

The company"s debts have increased compared to the first quarter, even though in spring the company laid off some of its employees.

Constantin Dascălu, secretary of state in the Ministry of Transport, said that the company failed to meet the target set for the level of its arrears in agreement with the IMF,

There are now rumors that apart from the 3,000 employees that were sent on technical unemployment, the company plans to lay off 3,900 employees out of a total of approximately 15,000.

CFR Călători director Liviu Pescăraşu explained that the reorganization of the company is necessary because the company"s activity and revenues have shrunk by 15 to 20%.

Gheorghe Frăţică, the president of the National Federation of Commercial Transport said: "We suspect a covert privatization of CFR Călători is in the works, a plan th