Moldovan Railway intends to open the railway portion Basarabeasca – Berezino

Moldovan Railway examines the possibility of opening a new railway access route through southern Moldova, namely Basarabeasca –Berezino. According to the minister of Transports and Roadway management, Miron Gagauz, this issue was discussed at a meeting with Vasile Tarlev. Moldovan authorities say that they will insistently ask Ukraine to reopen the circulation of trains on this portion in order to solve the present traffic difficulties, generated by closing the bridge located on 116th km of the railway from the north of Moldova, Moghiliov-Podolsk – Ocnita. Gagauz said that in case the circulation will be resumed on this segment, the Moldovan part will have no circulation problems. The circulation of passenger trains is performed on the segment Ocnita-Larga-Kelmenti-Hmelnitki-Jmerinka, opened after the aforementioned bridge was closed and which will work until the railway segment Ocnita-Moghiliov-Podolski will be reopened. Because the new railway segment does not have proper technical capacities, the circulation of cargo trains is stopped for the moment. A delegation of 12 Ukrainian experts came to Chisinau and they will discuss during two days with the Moldovan authorities about several methods of resuming the transportation of goods, especially first necessity ones. Participants might also discuss resuming transportation of goods through Transnistria. This version will be examined only in case the Ukrainian part will take upon itself the responsibility for the goods that cross the separatist region because Chisinau is not willing to negotiate with Transnistrian authorities, subsequently can not be responsible for the transports, in the light of the incident which happened in March 2006 when 172 wagons were sequestered and Railway Moldova was forced to pay compensations of about CHF 1.1 mln to economic agents.