Moldova ratifies agreement with Ukraine on building Dniestr River bridge

MOSCOW. Aug 1 (Interfax) - The Moldovan parliament has endorsed an agreement with Ukraine on the construction of a bridge across the Dniestr River - a project worth around 60 million euros that will connect the Ukrainian city of Yampol and Moldova's Cosauti, Ukrainian media outlets said, citing a social media post by Moldova's Deputy Prime Minister and Infrastructure and Regional Development Minister Andrei Spinu.

"The Moldovan parliament approved an agreement between Moldova and Ukraine on the construction of a road bridge across the Dniestr River near the cities of Cosauti and Yampol. Together with Ukraine, we plan to build the bridge by the end of 2025," Spinu said.

The cost of building the bridge and related infrastructure in Ukrainian territory will stand at 40 million euros, he said. The money will be provided by Ukraine's government. This work in Moldovan territory, including the construction of related road infrastructure, as well as of border crossings, will cost 20 million euros, which will be allocated by the Moldovan government.

Studies conducted in 2018 showed that the payback period of the investments would be seven years, Spinu said.

Some 4,600 passenger cars and trucks are expected to use the bridge every day, reaching 10,200 per day by 2041. Furthermore, the bridge will help connect Moldova's eastern part to the TEN-T cross-border road network.

"The intergovernmental agreement with Ukraine on the construction of a bridge across the Dniestr River and its inclusion in the trans-European network means economic development for Ukraine, Moldova and Romania and our bridge to the EU," Spinu said when presenting the agreement in the Moldovan parliament.

The idea of building this bridge was first put forth in 2012 at the initiative of the Soroca region council of Moldova and the authorities of Ukraine's Vinnitsa. The agreement was signed in Kiev on June 12, 2023 and was approved by the Ukrainian government on July 12.

As reported earlier, the Yampol bridge should become an element of the Ukraine-Moldova transport corridor and the continuation of the R-08 Nemirov-Yampol motorway in Ukrainian territory. Two approaches to the bridge - a 1.068 km section on Ukraine's side and a 5 km one on Moldova's side - will be built. The bridge will be 641 meters long, and the overpass will be 668 meters long.