A loan agreement worth 41.2 million euros from the European Investment Bank has been signed, adding a 12-million-euro grant from the European Union for the railway connection in Moldova.
This was announced by European Commissioner for Transport Adina Valean at a press briefing.
According to the commissioner, the money will ensure the implementation of the project of the Ministry of Infrastructure, which is aimed at building 128 kilometers of railroad in the north and south.
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“I welcome the signing of this loan, which, together with the European Commission’s contribution of 12 million euros, will improve the railway infrastructure in Moldova. Some 128 kilometers of railroads on the north-south axis will be repaired. It will be a great benefit to the Moldovan economy. The project will also strengthen the solidarity corridors, where Moldova and Romania are the main players in the Danube corridor, ensuring the transit of almost 70% of products from Ukraine,” European Commissioner for Transport Adina Valean said.
At the same time, Adina Valean recalled that the structure of the Prut River bridge’s connection with Romania had already been approved.
“The EU invests and financially supports projects that have priority on the infrastructure maps officially adopted by the Union. We included Ukraine’s and the Republic of Moldova’s infrastructure in our maps. It is the so-called European transportation network. I am sure that in time if we are patient and work hard, this infrastructure will develop. Now, we have a bridge from Ungheni on the road. We have already approved projects related to the infrastructure of connecting the respective bridges. We also expect that the Albica-Leuseni bridge will be presented within this call for projects, which will be finalized by the end of January. So, something is moving forward,” Adina Valean emphasized.
The section provides rail connections to the industrial environment located in the north and center of the Republic of Moldova, free economic zones in Marculesti, Balti, Ungheni, and Chisinau, as well as export/import/transit of goods from Romania and Ukraine. It also connects to the railway corridor Cainari-Cimislia-Bessarabca-Djurgiulesti, which is used, among others, for transshipment logistics at the Danube and Black Sea ports.