Blejec told the press after the session that the new management of the troubled state-owned operator would start operating on Tuesday and that it had the knowledge needed to restructure and consolidate the company.

Mes had unofficially been one of the candidates for the post of general manager, with Blejec describing him as a "classic crisis manager" who is good with people and a team worker.

Also described by Blejec as a team worker, Zaletelj has been with Slovenske zeleznice for some time and has served as director of the infrastructure business unit. According to Blejec, he is aware of the situation the railways are in and will take it on actively.

The general manager was tight-lipped about the measures planned, although he said that a first set of measures had been drawn up and of course also included "controlling all kinds of expenses".

He highlighted among the plans the need to organise relations between Slovenske zeleznice and the Luka Koper port, including in the area of infrastructure, especially in the construction of a second railway track between Divaca and Koper.

"I think this is of strategic importance, not only for Slovenske zeleznice, but for the whole of Slovenia and the sectors related to this, especially the construction sector, which can win a lot with this project," he said.

The appointment of a new management board at Slovenske zeleznice comes after the operator was transformed into a holding on 1 September.

Blejec's appointment followed an overhaul of the supervisory board. The new board refused to take a stance on Ervin Pfeifer, who had been originally appointed on 29 August as the successor to Goran Brankovic.

Blejec is already the 12th boss of Slovenske zeleznice in the last 20 years.