MEP Cretu: Restoring ties with Moldova, a historical duty

MEP Cretu: Restoring ties with Moldova, a historical duty

MEP Corina Creţu says that Romania restoring ties with Moldova is a historical duty and that the Ungheni bridge, financed by non-repayable European funds, will improve traffic to Romania and facilitate Moldova's access to the West, via Unirii Motorway, told Agerpres.

"A new infrastructure project on non-repayable European funds that will improve traffic between Romania and the Republic of Moldova on the one hand, and will facilitate the access of the Republic of Moldova to the West, via the Unirii Motorway (A8): the Ungheni Bridge. This infrastructure project comes to support the strengthening of economic, social and brotherly ties between Romania and the Republic of Moldova. Also, Romania's competitiveness will be intensively stimulated, ensuring an international transport flow of people and goods. I would like to remind you that the law regarding the A8 Targul Mures - Iasi - Ungheni Motorway entails the construction of 320 km, and for that to be completed up to the border with the Republic of Moldova, with a bridge over the Prut at Ungheni by 2030. (...) Restoring ties with the Republic of Moldova is a historical duty; in the past, Moldavia and Bessarabia were interconnected by more than 22 bridges, most of which were destroyed by the Russian army to prevent free movement between the two sister regions," Cretu wrote in a social media post on Monday.

According to the MEP, the bridge receives EUR 16.5 million in non-repayable European money under the Connecting Europe Facility.

"To Romania, such large-scale projects are essential, which is why, during my term of office as European Commissioner, I insisted that at least the feasibility study be carried out on European funds allocated in 2014-2020 in order to see the start of construction in that financial period , constantly reminding that this must be one of the utmost priorities of the government. At the sMEP Cretu: Restoring ties with Moldova, a historical dutyame time, we secured the support of the European Commission for the start of this project."

Cretu voiced satisfaction that approximately 50 kilometres of the A8 motorway are being auctioned and funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).

"Securing the connection between Moldova, Transylvania and the rest of Europe with the completion of the A8 and A3 motorways will lead to better connectivity among Romania's historical regions and with the European markets," concluded Cretu.