Lipcani-Radauti bridge marks two years of reopening

More than 368,000 persons crossed the Lipcani-Radauti bridge during the two years of its reopening. The bridge that connects the banks of the Prut between Romania’s Radauti and Moldova’s Lipcani was reopened on February 15, 2010, 66 years after movement along it was impossible, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to the head of the Customs Service’s press office Ion Magu, the reopening of the Lipcani-Radauti customs post enabled the movement of persons and goods to the European markets. In the period, the bridge was crossed by over 700 units of transport conveying goods for import. Customs duties of almost 13 million lei were collected into the state budget. From March 31, 2010, the Moldovans living within 50 km of the border are allowed to cross the border visa free, using electronic cards, in accordance with the European legislation. In 2010, the Radauti Prut – Lipcani bridge was named Grigore Vieru. The bridge was destroyed in 1941 by the pulling out red army. Afterward, it was reconstructed by the German army, which needed it for offensive, and then was destroyed by the withdrawing Germans in 1944. From 1944 until 2010, it had been impassable, but was then reconstructed with European funds. Currently, Moldova has eight border crossing points for the 684 km of frontier with Romania and 17 border crossing points for the 1222 km of frontier with Ukraine.