Petkov has sent KNSB a letter saying that the company plans to dismiss some 950 workers as part of its development program. The letter and their motive to lay off the workers are a violation of the Labour Code, KNSB believes.

There are currently 232 vacancies in the company and the staff has to put in extra hours, so the idea of sacking even more people is unacceptable, the trade unions say. They are demanding that Transport Minister, Petar Mutafchiev withdraws the letter and penalizes Petkov. The unions say that the railway chief has violated the code for social cooperation and created tension among the workers.