About 90% of the locomotives, freight cars and passengers railcars of the state-run Moldova’s Railways are worn-out and need to be changed. On the Railway Workers’ Day marked on August 1, Minister of Transport and Road Infrastructure Vasile Botnari said the reforms that must be implemented from January 1, 2015 will improve the quality of the services provided by the company and will attract €100 million from the EBRD and EIB for reconstructing and modernizing railroads in northern Moldova, IPN reports.

The minister said a new feasibility study is needed to build the railway on the Ungheni-Chisinau segment so as to attract more passengers and goods.

Vasile Botnari informed that the recently renovated trains are still in the depot and need to be certified according to the European standards in order to be put on routes. The Romanian company “Remar” is to give standard certificates for the renovated cars over the next few months. The blame for the delay is borne by the former administration of Moldova’s Railways, which was unable to negotiate an appropriate contract.

Serghei Tomsa, acting director general of Moldova’s Railways, congratulated the personnel on their day. “From August 1, the salaries of the employees of Moldova’s Railways will be by 15% higher. The working conditions will be improved. Owing to the new reforms that will be implemented, we will manage to put into circulation a number of passenger cars. The social railway transport fell by 7% so far this year. We hope the situation will improve from September 1,” he stated.