Work is starting on the first bridge over the Prut built since the Revolution, and four others are in the design phase, says Sorin Grindeanu, Romania’s Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. On April 26 in Ungheni, the construction of the Podul de Flori (Flower Bridge), a new road link between Moldova and Romania, will be officially launched, reports IPN.

The event is a symbolic one and marks the beginning of an infrastructure project that has been awaited for decades. The Ungheni bridge will be the first of five new bridges planned between the two sides of the Prut. Authorities from both countries underline both the practical importance and the historical and symbolic value of this construction.

Romania’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Sorin Grindeanu, said that the start of the works is an important moment. The project involves the construction of two road bridges, one in each direction of travel, with an estimated completion date in the second half of 2026. These bridges will continue the route of the A8 highway, which will link Chisinau to Iasi and further on to Pascani and Targu Mures, thus facilitating the connection with the European road network.

“But I also want to announce one more thing, we have four more bridges at the design stage. Next year the design will be finished and, with them, we will have five new bridges over the Prut, which is a good thing”, the Romanian official added.

Sorin Grindeanu says their completion will strengthen cross-border connectivity and boost regional development.

Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova Vladimir Bolea, Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development, emphasized that the bridges become symbols of the rapprochement between Moldova and Europe and contribute to road safety, population mobility and economic development.