The rehabilitation of roads, energy efficiency and the support for SMEs are the key areas in which the funds of the European Investment Bank (EIB) are invested. According to the Head of the EIB Representation for the Republic of Moldova Alberto Carlei, the cooperation with the Moldovan authorities is productive and the EIB portfolio in Moldova this year rose to €1.1 billion, IPN reports.
The EIB official noted that the Moldovan authorities’ requests for financing for infrastructure projects have grown in number. The money borrowed from the EIB is primarily invested in the modernization of units of transport and road infrastructure.
“If I compare our current activities with those of 2021, our portfolio rose from €800 million to €1.2 billion. This is a considerable growth. For me, this is the best evidence that our partners from the Government put our relationship to good use. If we analyze our activities, 2/3 of them represent lending for public sector infrastructure. The largest part of our exposure is in the transport sector. We support road rehabilitation operations. Many millions of euros were provided in this field. We also support the improvement of the railway sector, the increasing of the number of local trolleybuses. All these contribute to developing the country and improving citizens’ life,” Alberto Carlei stated in the program “Common Objective” on TVR Moldova channel.
The EIB also contributes to improving energy efficiency in public buildings, including hospitals, schools, kindergartens and other institutions in Moldova.
“We are coordinating a very important energy efficiency initiative that covers the whole country. The EIB finances this project and mobilizes a large part of the investments from the European Union. At the first stage, we will center on nine hospitals of the Republic of Moldova so as to rehabilitate these from the perspective of energy efficiency. The hospitals will be thermally insulated and more energy efficient lighting and better ventilation will be ensured and photovoltaic panels on roofs will be set up where it is possible. These investments will definitely ensure savings on energy, being useful for the state budget. We will further support the energy efficiency improvement efforts in Moldova” said Alberto Carlei.
The European Investment Bank has been active in Moldova since 2007. To date the EIB has invested over €1 billion in tens of projects across the country, including projects in the transport, energy, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), agriculture, municipal infrastructure (solid waste, water and wastewater) and services sectors of Moldovan economy.
