The monopoly of the State Enterprise "Railway of Moldova" in the market of railway transport services will be abolished.
This is provided for by a new Code of Railway Transport, which the parliament adopted in the first reading. According to the document, the railway infrastructure will belong to the state, and private operators of railway transport will have access to the railway infrastructure on the basis of a payment for its use and will be able to provide services for the transport of passengers and goods. The fee will be set in accordance with the calculation methodology approved by the government. In order to increase the competitiveness of railway transport in comparison with other modes of transport, it is planned to set the fees for access to the railway infrastructure at the lowest possible level that covers the costs of infrastructure management. Private operators will set the cost of transportation independently. Increased attention in the code is given to passenger transportation services. The document creates a legal basis for approving the rules for railway passenger transportation: the procedure for providing such services, methods of service, compensation mechanism and other aspects related to the protection of consumer rights in this area. The bill also provides for the creation of a number of new institutions. Together with the restructuring of the railway and the entry into force of the new Code, the government will be obliged to partially finance the support and reconstruction of the railway infrastructure, as well as provide subsidies for passenger transport companies. We are talking about investments of about 250 million lei. These funds are intended to support the railway infrastructure, which has not been modernized for the last 20 years. Part of the funds will be directed to railway passenger carriers, as is customary in European countries. At the same time, will be created the Bureau for the Investigation of Accidents and Accidents involving Railway Transport, as well as the Railway Administration, which will issue permits to transport operators and the infrastructure administrator, and certify personnel involved in the management of railway transport. It is planned that the adoption of the Railway Transport Code will reduce delays in the implementation of the Moldova-EU Association Agreement. The organizational model of the State Enterprise “Railway of Moldova” will also change - by separating the management of railway infrastructure, traction capacities, passenger and freight transport services, and there will be no monopoly in the field of railway transport. The Code provides for certification mechanisms in the field of railway transport, approval of the government's National Infrastructure Program and other measures. The new Railway Transport Code will enter into force 24 months after the date of its publication in Monitorul Oficial.// 23.09.2021 — InfoMarket.
