Cynthia Ezegwu
Slovakia’s government on Tuesday replaced three senior officials of the national railway company after two train collisions within a month left dozens of people injured.
The latest accident occurred on Sunday in western Slovakia, when one train ran into another. Initial reports indicate that a train may have departed a station despite a red signal, causing an express train to crash into it from behind. The incident is under investigation.
This follows a head-on collision in eastern Slovakia on October 13, which injured around 20 people and is also still being investigated.
Nationalist Prime Minister Robert Fico said the leadership of the state-owned ZSR railway company would be replaced. “As of today, a new CEO and board chairwoman, along with two new board members, are taking office,” the Ministry of Transport said in a statement. The appointments are interim, pending the selection of permanent leadership.
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Serious train accidents are rare in Slovakia. Last year, seven people died and five were injured when a passenger train collided with a bus at a railway crossing. In 2009, a passenger train collision with a bus killed 12 people.
The government has emphasized that the leadership changes aim to improve safety oversight and prevent further accidents.