The Moldovan carriers suffer losses of one euro per every km of road owing to the poor infrastructure. Moreover, a considerable part of the road accidents are also due to the poor state of the roads, considers Vladimir Florea, managing co-chairman of the Union of Carriers and Road Workers and first vice president of the National Employers Confederation of Moldova, IPN reports.

Vladimir Florea said that after the administration of the Ministry of Transport and Road Infrastructure changed, they started to solve the problems faced by the carriers during the last 5-6 years. The authorities now have a clear approach to the problems, following the formulation of the transport sector reformation policy.

The transport businesses are among the most profitable in Moldova. Vladimir Florea said that half of the carriers now work legally, while the other half work illegally. According to the Union of Carriers and Road Workers, damage of about 300 million lei is caused monthly to the state budget.

According to Vladimir Florea, the situation concerning passenger transportation should be improved by raising fares. The fares haven’t been increased since 2008, but the fuel prices went up. The authorities already decided that the fares will rise by 0.10 lei from November 1. The transport employers proposed that the fares should be raised in two stages – by 0.10 lei in autumn and by 0.10 lei in spring so as not to seriously affect the population.

The leader of the Union of Carriers and Road Workers said the roads are repaired not conscientiously. Civil society should create an organization to examine how the road building and repair works are performed. This organization should be supported with money from the Road Fund.

The National Employers Confederation of Moldova stages the Forum of Businesspeople on November 12. There will be discussed the major constraints faced by the Moldovan businesspeople. Many of them say the poor infrastructure is one of the main constraints.