Moldova to repair 2 railroad sections for boosting cargo transit from Ukraine to EU

CHISINAU. May 18 (Interfax) - Moldova will repair two railroad sections to boost cargo transit from Ukraine to the European Union via the Moldovan territory, the press service for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) said.

The total cost of the project is 71 million euros, including 28 million euros to be contributed by the Moldovan state-run company Moldovan Railways, 23 million euros to be provided by the EBRD as a loan, and another 20 million euros to come as a grant from the European Union. The EBRD and the EU have signed the project agreement.

The project will begin with repairs of the Velchinec-Ungheni line in northern Moldova, to be followed by repairs of the Chisinau-Cainari line in the south. The repairs are expected to increase the capacity of the lines and to accelerate traffic. That will facilitate access of Ukrainian goods to the Romanian ports of Constanta and Galati, the Ukrainian port in Reni, and the Moldavian port of Giurgiulesti.