Ferry service at Molovata suspended because of ice; Moldovan deputy PM authorities to do everything possible to ensure free movement, food deliveries

The Moldovan authorities are taking measures to ensure free movement to the settlements on the left bank of the Dniester River, after the Molovata ferry service was suspended due to ice forming on Dniester. The Joint Control Commission (JCC) has launched discussions, in order to identify solutions that would allow the provision of residents in the area with essential goods and supplies.

Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Valeriu Chiveri said that Moldova’s authorities would also “use the 1+1 dialogue format.”

“The Molovata ferry has temporarily stopped operating because of low temperatures and the freezing of the Dniester River. We will do everything possible to ensure free movement, including the delivery of food and other essential items for citizens. We have coordination formats in place. First of all, it is about the JCC. We will also use the 1+1 format. We will do our utmost to ensure citizens have access on this period, which we hope will be overcome as soon as possible,” said Valeriu Chiveri.

The official emphasized that discussions within the Joint Control Commission had already begun.

“We have started discussions in the JCC through the Moldovan co-chair. The number of affected citizens and economic agents is quite large. I cannot give you an exact figure, but we are talking about a relatively large number of economic agents that supply food and other goods to the region or to localities on the left bank of the Nistru: Cocieri, Molovata Noua and Corjova. Therefore, we will continue working to ensure free movement and to provide citizens with everything they need,” Valeriu Chiveri underlined.

The Molovata ferry service was suspended today, January 14, due to the thick layer of ice that formed on the Dniester River. Traffic is to be resumed as soon as weather conditions and ice thickness allow safe navigation.

The ferry stays the only free access route to the localities on the Molovata plateau: Molovata Noua, Cocieri, Vasilevca and Corjova. If the service is suspended, residents run the risk of being forced to use illegal routes, controlled by the Tiraspol regime, and the supply of shops, pharmacies and social institutions will become difficult.