North-Center rail corridor to be rehabilitated under Solidarity Lanes

Chisinau, Sep 12 /MOLDPRES/- Vălcineț-Ocnița-Balti-Ungheni-Chisinau-Căinari railway corridor will be rehabilitated under the Solidarity Lanes. The European Investment Bank (EIB) will provide a grant of €12 million for the works.

A project approved on Wednesday by the government provides for the rehabilitation of the 446-kilometer-long Vălcineț-Ocnița-Balti-Ungheni-Chisinau-Căinari section, of which 128 kilometers of railroad are in an unsatisfactory condition, according to the authorities, and currently generate risks for rail traffic and may even disrupt the functioning of regional logistic chains. At the same time, speed and mass restrictions on this sector significantly increase the cost of transport logistics.

Prime Minister Dorin Recean told the cabinet meeting that this project is very important both for mobility and increasing the export capacity of our products.

"With the EU support, we will have a total of 120 million euros for the rehabilitation of 128 km of the North-Central Railway Corridor," Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development Andrei Spînu said.

Officials claim that the implementation of the project will bring benefits in terms of shortening the duration of rail journeys, increasing the market share of rail transportation of heavy goods, reducing the burden on road infrastructure, reducing road wear and tear and increasing the level of road traffic safety, as well as reducing CO2 emissions.

The initiative is aimed at assisting the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine in reorientation of transport logistic chains caused by the Russian Federation's unjustified war in Ukraine. Previously, the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova ratified the EBRD loan agreement for the implementation of the project in the amount of 23 million euros, the grant agreement provided through the Neighborhood, Development Cooperation and International Cooperation Instrument worth 19.56 million euros, the EIB financing agreement of 41.205 million euros and the amendment to the EBRD loan agreement of 18.205 million euros.