PHOTO // Moldova and Romania expand cooperation in transport infrastructure

The Republic of Moldova and Romania today signed in Bucharest a new agreement on extended cooperation in the field of infrastructure, a document that provides for the construction of the first kilometres of motorway on our country’s territory and the development of an integrated road network to connect western Moldova to the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). The act was initialled by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development of Chisinau, Vladimir Bolea, and by Romania’s Acting Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Radu-Dinel Miruță.

The new agreement replaces the bilateral document signed in 2022 and extends cooperation from the road bridge project over the Prut River to the development of an integrated network of road and logistics infrastructure, intended to facilitate the integration of the Republic of Moldova into the European transport corridors.

“The updating of the Agreement was necessary in the context of new opportunities identified during the implementation of the project. These concern the organisation of coordinated border control, the expansion of European funding and the inclusion in the project of the last section of the A8 Târgu Mureș – Iași – Ungheni Motorway, the first section of the future Ungheni – Chișinău – Odesa motorway, as well as the Berești multimodal logistics terminal,” the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development said in a press release.

The agreement also sets out the allocation of investment responsibilities between the two states. Romania will finance the construction of the bridge over the Prut, the related infrastructure and the border crossing point on its territory, as well as about 4.7 kilometres of motorway, the approximately 1.1-kilometre link road to the Berești logistics complex and its construction, investments estimated at around 56 million euros, including through the European SAFE instrument.

For its part, the Republic of Moldova will finance the construction of the motorway section between the abutment of the bridge over the Prut and the national road R16, over a length of approximately 0.5 kilometres, an investment estimated at 5 million euros. The Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development, Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Bolea, thanked the Romanian Government for its support and partnership.

“Romania and the Republic of Moldova are developing a relationship based on respect and national interest. Including through this investment, the Governments of the two countries prove that they have the capacity to develop large-scale projects for the benefit of citizens,” said Vladimir Bolea.

Also today, the procurement contract was signed for the design and execution of the Târgu Neamț – Iași – Ungheni motorway section, including the segment that will ensure the connection with the new bridge over the Prut.

“It is a very important moment for transport connectivity on both banks of the Prut. By signing the two bilateral documents, we are giving the green light to the project that links Romania to the Republic of Moldova, financed through the SAFE Programme. I thank all those involved, both from the Romanian authorities and from the institutions of the Republic of Moldova,” said Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, according to a press release from the Government’s Press Office, quoted by Agerpres.

The event was also attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Oana Țoiu, and the State Secretaries in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, Ionel Scrișoreanu and Horațiu Cosma.