The European Union is allocating 250 million euros to improve cross-border communication between Moldova, Ukraine and their EU neighbors.
The Permanent Delegation of the European Union to Moldova reported this, noting that this package is part of the 6.2 billion euros allocated to 107 selected transport infrastructure projects under EU grants from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), the EU instrument for strategic investments in transport infrastructure. The EU will thus invest a total of 6.2 billion euros in sustainable, safe and efficient transport infrastructure. Over 80% of the funding will support projects to create a more efficient, green and smart network of railroads, inland waterways and maritime routes within the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). The projects will contribute to the development of the EU-Ukraine "Solidarity Lanes" created to facilitate Ukraine's exports and imports. It is agreed that 250 million euros of the total amount of grants will be used to improve cross-border connections between Moldova, Ukraine and their EU neighbors: Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland. European Commissioner for Transport Adina Valean said the 6.2 billion euros allocated for projects across Europe will make transport more sustainable and efficient, not susceptible to the effects of climate change and safer. "These are projects that will improve transport connectivity not only between EU member states, but also with our neighbors. I am very pleased that 9 projects will receive 250 million euros to improve cross-border connections between Ukraine, Moldova and their EU neighbors Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania. These projects will facilitate the transport of goods between the EU and Ukraine, strengthening the 'Solidarity Lanes'," she said. Three of the above-mentioned 9 projects refer directly to Moldova and the EU will provide grants worth 45.5 million euros for their implementation. In particular, about 33.19 million euros will be provided for the development of border infrastructure in Ungheni. The project concerns the modernization of the border area between Moldova and Romania in Ungheni by constructing/modernizing a road, building a border crossing point and purchasing equipment for border crossing services. The main benefit of the project will be an increase in the capacity and safety of traffic between the EU and Ukraine as part of the "Solidarity Lanes" initiative. A grant of 2.48 million euros is planned for the implementation of the Giurgiulesti border crossing modernization project. The project concerns studies, works and procurement of equipment for border crossing services at one of the main Romanian-Moldovan border crossing points in Galati/Giurgiulesti. The main benefit of the project will be an increase in traffic capacity and safety between the EU and Ukraine as part of the "Solidarity Lanes" initiative. At the same time, another 9.83 million euros in an EU grant is planned to be spent on the development of infrastructure at the Leuseni-Albita border crossing. The aim of the project is to build/upgrade transport infrastructure facilitating access to and from the Albita-Leuseni border checkpoints (including the future bridge over the River Prut) and customs operations on both sides, namely in Moldova and in Romania. The main benefits of this project will be the facilitation of cross-border traffic between the EU and Moldova in the framework of the "Solidarity Lanes" initiative. //23.06.2023 - InfoMarket.
