The construction works of the Cahul-Giurgiulesti railroad track were launched on Thursday, May 24, bringing to the festivity such guests as President Voronin, ministers of Public Administration and of Ecology and Natural Resources, representatives from Cahul local authorities and Railway Moldova State Enterprise. According to a press release from the Presidency, the head of state pointed out in his inaugural speech the strategic importance of this rail line, which “is will spur the social and economic development” of the southern raions of Moldova. Voronin mentioned that the 50 km long Cahul-Giurgiulesti railroad track will ensure the interconnection between the rail and the sea transport by means of the Giurgiulesti Port. The president urged the Railway Moldova State Enterprise, the local authorities and the businessmen to concentrate their efforts so as to complete the construction of the Cahul-Giurgiulesti rail line by the end of 2008. At the same time, environmentalists warn that the construction works of the railroad track have started without any prior studies on environmental risks, which could lead to an environmental disaster. According to the cited sources, the railroad track will cross the territory of the Lower Prut Wetlands national park, which is protected by the Moldovan legislation and by the RAMSAR and ESPOO conventions that Moldova has ratified. According to experts, the environmental impacts were completely ignored, making the project dangerous for precious species like: white swan, grey goose, pelican, plover, European otter, triton, turtles, etc. The Prut Wetlands is as well a favourable region for certain species of fishes to lay their spawn in and, according to specialists, the project could put these species in jeopardy. The Romanian media writes that the border checkpoint at Giurgiulesti was blocked on Thursday between 11.00 and 13.00 so as not to let the Romanian environmentalists to get to the ceremony. At the same time, Voronin pushed the start of the construction in a period when the local councils are dissolved ahead of the June 3 elections. The Galati Environmental Consulting Centre (CCEG), which is the only Romanian association that took up an attitude against the environmental lawlessness on the Prut River, was not let to pass the border and arrive in time when President Voronin was inaugurating the construction. According to Petruta Moisi, CCEG chairman, the construction had no prior studies on the environmental impact of the works, no public debate on it and no auction for the works that had already begun. What is more, local residents are being convinced to sell their plots of land for insignificant amounts of money. The members of the Environmental Movement of Moldova (MEM) were also obstructed from participating in the inaugural ceremony of the construction works, because they were not “townies”. The financial assistance of EUR 50 mln for the construction comes from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).