
Moldova will get access to 26 billion euros in financing under the European Interconnection Mechanism.
The government on Wednesday approved a draft law on ratification of the Agreement between Moldova and the European Union on Moldova's participation in the European Interaconnection Mechanism, which was signed in Chisinau on May 9. Moldova is the first non-EU country to get access to funds under this program, which finances projects in the field of transport, energy and digital infrastructure of the EU. The Agreement is expected to allow project initiators from Moldova to apply for EU funding for projects of common interest in transport, energy and digital technologies, aimed at improving links between Moldova and its EU neighbors; to help attract investments for road and rail infrastructure development, implementation of energy efficiency and economy decarbonization projects; to promote digitalization of transport and energy systems. Moldova's participation in this mechanism involves the payment of an operational and participation fee, for each area of the agreement separately. Thus, in 2023, Moldova will pay 72.4 thousand euros for transport sector, 33.5 thousand euros for energy sector and 11 million euros for digital sector. At the same time, Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development Liliia Dabija said that Moldova has already applied for financing three projects of infrastructure development at the Moldovan-Romanian border (three bridges) and requested grants amounting to 15 million euros. // 07.06.2023 - InfoMarket