Transport in Republic of Moldavie

This article presents the situation of the infrastructure of transport in Republic of Moldavie . More precisely, the article describes the state of the current infrastructures, its weaknesses and the projects to cure these weaknesses.

Introduction

The major asset of Moldavie is its geographical location

“Moldavie with is crossroads”, as precisely Florent Parmentier in his recent work indicates it. The country is located in European south-east, with the borders of Balkans, embedded between Carpates, the large Ukrainian plains and the Black Sea.

That means that it is in the middle of a geostrategic zone of first order. The fact that, in the History, it was disputed by the great powers around it proves. Moreover, the Russian military presence in Transnistrie is not alleviating: it makes it possible Moscow to keep a vigilant eye on the unforeseeable Ukraine. In addition, if the United States decided to install American military bases on the Rumanian littoral of the Black Sea, the presence of Russian soldiers in Transnistrie could rebalance gives it strategic.

The area is thus the crossroads of three civilizations: Latinity, the Slavic world and Moslem civilization. The proximity of the Black Sea offers also an opening to him on the economic basin of the Central Asia and by extension on the silk route. Besides it is enough to go there to realize of the ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversity which composes this country (65% of Roumanians, 27% of Russians and Ukrainians, 8% of minorities: Gagaouzes, Jews, Germans, Bulgarian). This mixing of cultures is an indicator of the interest carried to this area for a long time and to a lesser extent the proof of the large migratory waves organized under Stalin.

This geographical location is an asset for Moldavie. It will allow him, thanks to a policy of integration in the great European programs and of the CEI, to be the bond between the two Europes and with Asia, by offering an alternative to the maritime main roads (Suez Canal).

Gives international current

From the point of view of Guy-Pierre Chomette, Moldavie belongs to “other Europe”, that of the East, pushed back behind the “new iron curtain” that the Union is likely to create. The report of this journalist is that at the end of its widening, in 2007, the Union will have a new Eastern border:

“A new line of division of the continent thus will take shape. Even if it is of nothing comparable with the Iron curtain, fractures painful which opposed the West and Is Europe during forty years, this future Eastern limit of the European Union creates new stakes and raises already many questions. It in particular will underline economic and commercial divisions on both sides and will upset relations of vicinity gradually restored since 1989. ”

The position of Moldavie is all the more delicate on this new chart which its outlets towards the East (Ukraine, Russia) obligatorily pass by Transnistrie, area secessionist with Russian speaker majority, which weakens its exchanges.

It would be thus a completely isolated country which we are likely to find at our borders with the dangers that comprises: massive clandestine immigration, frustrations even extremism.

The Moldavian enclave

Current Moldavie corresponds to the old Soviet socialist Republic of Moldavie which proclaimed its independence on August 27th, 1991 in the same borders, delimited by Stalin in 1940 and confirmed in 1947 by the treaty of Paris. This one covers only 32% of the medieval Moldavian Rumanian principality (Bessarabia and Bucovine) and is cut down in the south by its access to the Black Sea and affublée in the East of a strip of land before Ukrainian, Transnistrie. It was about an deliberate intention of the authorities of Moscow to prevent the return of the province in the Rumanian bosom. Moreover, if one draws aside Transnistrie, one notices that the country is encircled by two rivers: Prout and Dniestr, accentuating its insulation.

Moldavie is thus an enclave, in the direction of the term which indicates the absence of access to the market in a given space. This absence can be of a material nature (obstacles with the communications) or economic (prohibitory cost of transport) leading to effects of insulation rather similar to those caused by insularity. In Moldavie, the phenomenon of enclavement is due to two causes: · the insufficiency of infrastructures, of point-borders (currently, the withdrawal periods are 6:00 with Romania and of 8:00 with the Ukraine) · lack of treasury of the private individuals but also of the companies which do not often even have the choice of the mode (monopolistic situations).

The enclavement is a space category of reference. But, by use about it without precaution, the question of its relevance ends up arising. It is thus necessary to seize again the significances rigorously of them. This theoretical work is a precondition to the study of the “wedged” territories known as, generally identified by their distance of the dynamic networks. This investigation finds a field of application fertile in Republic of Moldavie. Posed as the condition of the difficulties of development which are concentrated there, the enclavement is not a space attribute which would give an identity to the territories concerned compared to a continental position. It is a process founded on the discontinuities produced by historical mechanisms and which ends in territorial inversions. They are the strategies of the public actors who cause the enclavement, but these strategies are reversible.

Indeed, the pro-Rumanian policies and pro-Soviet are succédé in the history and the conversely territorial one of Moldavie is verifiable today:

there does not exist any more the maritime opening of the time of Bessarabia;
historical connections with Romania became rare;
the technical incompatibilities remain, in particular in the railroads (gauges and electrification);
only, the airport of Chişinău allows an access to the European sky but it is in competition with the airport of Iaşi, Rumanian provincial capital of Moldavie.

In term of infrastructures, Moldavie cannot be easily identified:

like independent State, because its network is not completely structured around a precise point;
like a Rumanian territory, because the networks of the two countries are connected little between them;
like a Russian or Soviet “finisterre”, because this network does not resemble completely a termination of lines.

It is the “Moldavian paradox”: that to be in the middle of Europe, with the geographical direction of the term, and to be put at the variation of the continental development process, fault of structures and because of contradictory policies.

We will see why it is so important to be interested of close with the transport infrastructures in Republic of Moldavie and more generally in this area-hinge of Balkans Eastern. We will study then their role in the evolution of this area. And finally we will release favor that the European interests could find there.

The structuring effect of transport

The action to disenclose is thus a political will, matched or not economic viability. From a political point of view, the structuring effect of transport is translated initially territorialement: they ensure the territorial continuity and the unit of the country. Moreover, in spite of its autonomy, if Transnistrie is always “Moldavian” and nonindependent, it is partly thanks to the physical bonds which connect its network to the remainder of Moldavie but little to the Ukraine. It is the result of the Soviet plan of transport which conferred on the RSS of Moldavie a clean territorial identity while seeking by all the means to differentiate them from the Roumanians.

For the political decision makers of today, it is a question of reversing this phenomenon by recreating the historical links between Moldavie and its adjoining countries. Indeed, before 1940, the Right Bank of Dniestr was Rumanian and its left bank, Ukrainian. The fact that these two parts are found in a single territorial entity is a chance. Transnistrie can play the part of bond with the CEI and Moldavie Western with the widened Union of 2007. The essential precondition to this type of project is the internal stability of Moldavie, in particular with regard to the statute of Transnistrie secessionist.

The opening-up of Moldavie, country of small size, must thus be made within the framework of a regional territorial coherence to ensure its economic relevance, beyond the stability pact of Europe of South-east: a zone of exchanges including/understanding Moldavie, Romania and the Ukraine in a broader economic space which would include/understand the European Union at January 1st, 2007, the CEI and the basin of the Black Sea (Turkey, country of the Caucasus).

In addition to its political stability, the opening-up of Moldavie can thus have positive macro-economic consequences, in the long run. This opening-up passes by a policy of transport integrated into the European strategy (corridors of transport) like with the programs of the CEI (corridors of the OSJD).

Inventory of fixtures of the network and analyzes current weaknesses of the infrastructures

Internal infrastructures

Structure of the networks

The highway networks and railway Moldavian differ by their structure and their geographical distribution. One can carry out a comparative analysis between the two networks in order to include/understand traffic jams of the Moldavians.

The difference between highway network and railway network is striking in Moldavie, as if they were two different countries, with plans of distinct displacements. We will see what explains this difference.

Highway network

The highway network is structured in “star” around Chişinău. This diagram is with the image of the political centralization which existed in this country before its independence. These connections make it possible to absorb the majority of the current internal traffic, but are likely to be quickly saturated.

In detail, the main roads in Moldavie are managed by the Road Department of the Ministry for transport and the communications via the Administration of State of the Roads divided into areas (similar to the DDE in France).

The existing highway network dates from the Soviet period. The network of the local roads was the first with being formed, and was then integrated into the international highway network: “the star” diagram is characterized by four North-South and East-West main roads with moreover, one side axis energy of north in the south of Transnistrie.

The analysis of this structure makes it possible to release some advantages:

the communications are effective between the province and the capital Chişinău, place of decision and consumption;
There exists a territorial coherence with a center and a periphery.

But also much of disadvantages:

the transverse road infrastructures are developed rather little with not tarred or narrow roads on which it is difficult to cross. This situation does not allow important relations between provincial towns;
in the absence of by-pass around Chişinău, the downtown area is often encumbered, phenomenon accentuated by the presence in full center of the international coach station;
the East-West connection for the through traffic is not direct and passes by the north of Chişinău, with a node also connecting the province of Bălţi (M 14, M 21, have 253, sector of Cricova).

At October 1st, 2001, the overall length of the network open to public circulation in Moldavie was of 10.500 km, including 3.200 km of trunk roads (30,5%) and 7.300 km local roads (69,5%). The density was of 315 km roads for 1.000 km ², level relatively high for a country of the ex-USSR. The access to the highway network is thus rather easy.

In addition to the public roads, it is necessary to count the 10.700 km of roads nonpublic (roads and ways of customs officers, private roads, agricultural ways) including 6.100 km not tarred, but where circulation is possible.

The public network is entirely state-owned property and cannot be the subject of privatization or toll, for the moment. A system of concession is however being studied.

The roads are divided into two types: primary distributers (M like Masterly), being used mainly for transport with long distance, and republican roads (has like Car), being used as connection between Chişinău and the centers of the local public authorities. The whole of these lanes constitutes “star” of the principal network.

On the assumption of a future economic development of the country, this diagram should generate a saturation of certain axes whereas big spaces would remain not served, in particular the points most distant from Chişinău.

Before 1991, the will of the authorities of the RSS of Moldavie was to unify the two territorial components of the country, historical Moldavie and Transnistrie. At that time, six large Pont S were built on the Dniestr, suitably distributed north in the south to ensure this unification. However, these bridges, of modest size, will not make it possible to absorb the international traffic in addition to the internal traffic.

The railway network

The Soviet policy had two objectives for its republics:

territorial identity suitable for each one and which resulted in the highway networks developed around the capitals in particular into Moldavie by the spangled structure of the network;
integrity of the Soviet whole in its planned and centralized economic operation, which was concretized by a railway network centered on freight and the long distances, therefore built with a single aim to facilitate the exchanges within the USSR and in particular with Moscow.

Contrary to the road, the railway network does not know any nerve center in Moldavie. The network is in the continuity of the network Ukrainian and despized Frontière S while passing from one country to another according to the geographical facilities, offering only three points of passage towards the Romania (of which only one with the gauge ISO). It is a diagram of end of lines, the Moldavian railroads being only one appendix of the Ukrainian network. Great zones are not served by the rail.

The provision of this network generates large handicaps for Moldavie:

there does not exist main axis around of which to organize the network, since the axis more developed is that of Ungheni - Chişinău - Tiraspol and requires initially a political agreement with the Transnistrie;
certain points of province are served only by chance or at all because of the state of the infrastructure. For example, to go to Ocniţa, one needs almost 8:00 against 4:30 in Autocar because of the deterioration of the ways.
there remains problems of territorial continuity and certain relations Chişinău-province are done within the framework of an international transport: each traveller is in the obligation to have a passport. The best example is the Chişinău-Cahul relation for which the railway way lasts 16:00, against 4:00 in the bus because the way passes in Transnistrie and Ukraine.

It should then be noted that Chişinău is only one crossing point among others. The absence of fall of line does not make it possible the Moldavian capital to ensure its centralizing role which it has with the highway network. That will become an additional difficulty during the structuring of the network.

This situation comprises two positive points all the same:

the Moldavian railway network is connected perfectly to the networks of CEI, ensuring an expanding market and an access to the seaport to him nearest, Odessa, like with the the Danube;
the presence of ways to the ISO gauge at the border of Ungheni makes it possible Moldavie to remain connected to the Romania by ensuring an access to him towards outside without passing by Transnistrie. Moreover, in the event of bringing together between Moldavie and the European Union, or of hardening with Transnistrie, the axis Ungheni-Chişinău would become the “lung” of the country.

On the other hand, the major part of the railway lines are with single track. Their exploitation is more constraining.

For including/understanding the current location well, it is necessary to consider the history of the formation of the railway network: the railroad in Bessarabia was officially launched the August 28th 1871, with the first section of the route Tiraspol - Chişinău. This connection between the Bessarabia and the Ukrainian and Russian railroads of the time was used as a basis for the development of the system of transport in Moldavie.

It is indeed starting from this axis, which is developed the most today, that built the Moldavian network for the Soviet period. It was prolonged to the Rumanian border (Ungheni) before two other ramifications do not come to stick to it: one with south-west starting from Tighina and the other in north to rejoin Kiev.

The Moldavian railway network covers a working length of 1 139,3 km, including 13,9 km with the spacing UIC between Ungheni and the Rumanian border. The developed length of the ways is of 2.318 km (with sortings, junctions and tracks shunt). On the whole, these infrastructures cover a surface of 10.800 hectares. The density is of 0,34 km railway for 1.000 km ².

A program of electrification, abandoned in Moldavie in 1994, however was led to of course the section Kutchurgan (Ukraine) - Tiraspol in order to avoid the change of Locomotive in border. However, this program relates to only the transnistrienne part of Moldavie.

Since the March 30th 1992, the Moldavian national railroad was an administration depending on the Ministry for Transport and the Roads (maintaining the Ministry for Transport and the Communications). January 1st 2001, state enterprise “CFM” was created, with structural loads rising to 4,92 billion Lei (585 M€) of which 1,764 billion lei (209 M€) must be financed. The company employs 12.300 people. The CFM consist of 37 divisions, having a great autonomy within the national company.

The reorganization continues, with the separation of the management of the infrastructures and the railway exploitation and the distinction between passenger transport and goods transport.

Currently, the national company (IS CFM), in full reorganization, satisfied just internal demands for goods and passenger transport, international transport with the countries of the CEI and the south-east of Europe, mainly Romania and the Ukraine.

The geopolitical changes of the area and the transition towards the market economy in Europe as well as in Asia will carry out without any doubt to the fast development of the process of integration to the 21e century namely:

modernization of the existing lines;
participation in the programs of the Pan-European Corridors;
doubly of the single-track lines;
creation of a line to the ISO gauge until Chişinău.

The navigable network

With regard to the inland waterways, Moldavie has a small network which can be used in the North-South axes and international transport.

The river transport is developed little there because of the absence of large Fleuve S crossing the country.

Except Transnistrie, historical Moldavie is wedged between two rivers of intermediate size and little maintained:

the Prout in the west, which delimits the border with Romania and which throws itself in the the Danube in Giurgiuleşti,
the Dniestr (or Rumanian Nistru in ) between Moldavie and Transnistrie, which throws in the Black Sea in Ukraine.

Moldavie has 3 river ports:

Ungheni on Prout, to 407 km of the confluence with the Danube, and connected to the station of freight international,
Tighina/Bender on Dniestr in territory transnistrien to 228 km of the Estuary on the Black Sea),
Rîbniţa, on Dniestr in Moldavian territory, to 434 km of the estuary.

On the whole, Moldavie counts 1356 km of inland waterways (including 716 km on Prout and 640 km on Dniestr). The ships higher than 249 TPL are proscribed there. The Moldavian river transport treats approximately 50.000 TPL of freight per annum, of which majority on Dniestr.

The Moldavian rivers present the double disadvantage of being limited in their use by their gauge and the fact that they delimit both of the borders, official or not. There does not exist besides international treaty for the use of these rivers.

Moreover, no East-West channel comes to connect the two rivers, prohibiting heavy the material through traffic by Moldavie. There thus does not exist structured network of inland waterways in Moldavie.

In fact, the safety of Moldavie comes from the Danube. In 1993, Moldavie was made “reassign” by the Ukraine a ground short period in the extreme south of the country: the village of Giurgiulesti. Indeed, Stalin had made cut out the southern borders of the RSS of Moldavie so that it does not have any access to the sea, even via the Danube.

The government decided to build an oil terminal there, with projects of terminal with goods and port for passengers in the mouth of Prout. This terminal will have a full capacity of 500.000 tons per annum.

Moldavie joined the international maritime Organization (OMI) and adheres to the agreement of Belgrade countries gathering the residents of the Danube. This first step was going to be used as a basis legal for the development of the maritime transport in Moldavie. At the beginning of 2001, the Parliament adopted the Code of commercial navigation. Moreover, the Moldavian Parliament must ratify a certain number of international conventions managed by the OMI, such as SOLAS, MARPOL, MPPS, LOAD MARK, PDNV, etc That will allow the Moldavian Navire S to obtain all the compliance certificates to the international standards and the Moldavian house could be used by the international fleet thanks to the flexibility of its legislation and the levels of low wages, with the tax re-entries referring itself to it.

The state of the river infrastructures constitutes a great weak point for Moldavie, which cannot accommodate large tonnages of freight, in particular in bulk. For example, the importation of Cereal S or Pétrole is still problematic.

Several points are thus to improve:

it is necessary to rehabilitate and maintain the existing rivers like their banks;
the ports of Ungheni and Tighina/Bender must be developed in order to create multimode nodes with iron and the road;
an international treaty is necessary for the use of Prout;
the complex of Giurgiulesti must be suitably connected to the centers of consumption, and in particular to Chişinău (pipeline, road m3);
a East-West river axis is desirable for the through traffics between the Danube and Tiraspol, passing by Chişinău.

Ageing of the infrastructures

The lack of public investments during the period of the Perestroika and the painful economic transition from Moldavie had like result leaving an infrastructure obsolete and prone to incidents.

The demonstration of the disuse of the infrastructures is simple to make. By looking at the statistics of transport since 1985 (beginning of the Perestroika), one notes a chronic reduction in freight and a modal split very favorable to the road: in the 2001,46 000 trucks, 260.000 cars and 15.000 coaches were recorded.

The principal tendencies observed in the recent history of road transport are:

a spectacular decline of volumes of transport since 10 years (reduction of 90% in volume, 80% in tkm and 85% of many passengers);
an considerable increase of the number of cars (from 170.000 to 260.000 in 6 years);
the progressive deterioration of the infrastructures because of the lack of financings (deterioration of the coatings and the pavements, general absence of hard shoulders and carriageway markings, poor quality of repairs and level of insufficient winter maintenance).

The deceleration of the exchanges in term of freight and the reduction in the voyages for the passengers show a lack of confidence in the infrastructures of the country, as well in term of quality as of safety and than of cost of transport, become with the wire of very prohibitory time.

The maintenance and the repair of the roads are often poor because of the chronic public under-financing leading to a policy of purchase of raw material of bad quality, under-qualification of the workmen and their framing. Over the period 2001-2002, the total financing for the local roads was of a million dollars, which was absolutely insufficient.

A report/ratio on “the conditions of the roads, of the streets and the bridges”, bench after consultation of the population between November 2002 and March 2003 shows that almost all the Route S of the country (main roads, local, urban and streets of villages) as of many bridges is in a disastrous situation and has an urgent need of repair. The totality of the requests subjected to the ministry exceeded of more than 8 times the annual budget of maintenance of the roads of the Ministry. It should be stressed that these requests related to only the absolutely urgent needs.

At the end of the years 1990, Moldavie was thus a country to be rebuilt in its totality. The chance of this irrefutable fact is that it was possible to reconsider the networks completely in order to offer to the Moldavians plans of adequate displacements and to integrate Moldavie into the great European routes.

The network of airports

Air transport in Moldavie is mainly limited to the passenger traffic. Air volumes in term of freight remained limited because of a reduced capacity of the treatment of freight. Great air forwardings use the airports of Budapest, Bucharest and Frankfurt with road post-routings. Certain recent governmental interventions weakened industry, limited private initiatives and the overseas investments in air transport and the airport services.

There exists one international Aéroport in Moldavie: that of Chişinău. It receives on average 5000 movements of planes per annum and manages 250.000 passengers and 3000 tons of freight. It can accommodate to 44 apparatuses of all sizes, the tracks having been lengthened and rehabilitated at the time of the top of the CEI in October 2002. It connects the principal European capitals, the the Middle East, and the CEI.

Apart from Chişinău, there exist other aerodromes not used commercially, or only for freight: Tiraspol and Bălţi and about thirty other sites (private, military aerodromes or in waste land), with or without tarmac, vestiges of the cold war.

The airport of Tiraspol was the subject of a rehabilitation by Russia to allow the landing of large planes carrying the army in order to evacuate the Soviet armaments still present in Transnistrie. Thereafter, this airport could be used commercially in particular for freight, because the military infrastructures installation can easily find an application civil without a large effort of financing. Tiraspol could then play the part of second airport of the country, by lightening Chişinău of heavy freight and by developing the partnership between the two airports.

Moreover, the terrestrial axis between the two cities (highway and railroad) could be used and will contribute to the rise of the local economy and the bringing together between the two “Moldavian States”.

The airport of Bălţi will be able to also specialize, in particular on the short-distance carrier with the close countries.

This concentration of airports for this small country, result of the Soviet military investments in this area, is an international opening appropriateness and will be able to allow the development of the economic basins around the big cities, thus decentralizing the economy. The regional “hub” travellers for the remote destinations remaining Chişinău.

Indeed, Bucharest and Kiev, the closest capitals are both with more than 400 km and their rights of landing are much higher. The contribution of the international airports of Iasi (Moldavie Rumanian) and of Odessa (Ukraine) is not either to neglect; by developing the already existing terrestrial axis.

This strategy of separation between freight and the passage is essential to the Moldavian development, in glance with the growth rate of the international traffic of travellers envisaged by the ECMT (from 80 to 90% between 2000 and 2015). The airport of Chişinău, by its small size, is likely to be saturated before 2015.

Network connections Europeans

Few existing openings

Moldavie is a landlocked country as well at the geographical level (not of maritime access) as on the level of the infrastructures (difficult displacements). Among these problems, one notes the chronic absence of passage towards outside or their extreme limitation (bridge on Prout with limitation of tonnage, change of bogies for the trains) and the obstacle transnistrien towards the east.

If this last concerns the political determination, the question of the infrastructure depends more than one lack of investment out of equipment:

the borders constitute bottlenecks where the withdrawal periods exceed the six or eight hours;
the infrastructures are dangerous and certain axes are in surplus production capacity.

Lack of point-border

Officially, three Moldavian airports are an authorized exit point:

Chişinău (only really used);
Bălţi (employed occasionally for freight);
Tiraspol (does not accommodate any international flight).

For the air mode, the border of Chişinău is still sufficient to treat the majority of entering and outgoing flows of Moldavie. However, on the assumption of development of the mode, as explained in the preceding page, the customs, medical services and of immigration could be quickly saturated.

It is the same for the railway stations, which are only four:

Basarabeasca (southern of Moldavie towards the Ukraine, very little used);
Cantemir (southern of Moldavie towards Romania, very little used);
Pervomaisc (Transnistrie towards the Ukraine, random operation);
Ungheni (Required passage towards Europe, with the ISO gauge).

The two first offer an outlet only not very interesting towards the foreigner, in wedged areas themselves or whose infrastructures do not make it possible to rejoin the European main roads. The third, on the line of Odessa and making it possible to join the remainder of the network of the CEI, is in Transnistrie and this point-border is subjected to goodwill local government.

For the road, the point-borders, already insufficient to run out flows in 1992, were further decreased by the existence of Transnistrie, even if certain flows still forward there.

The transit by Transnistrie is extremely problematic. The passage in “border” is slow there, active corruption, the frequent flights. Moreover, to suppress wild exports and the black-market, Moldavie made change the seals of its plugs of customs. Transnistrie answered by a continuous discrimination of the traffics by many tariff and administrative barriers, preventing or slowing down any transit by its territory of exports towards the Ukraine and Russia. This irrefutable fact is problematic for Moldavie which is deprived of many accesses towards the CEI, its historical market. Only the access by Cosăuti (district of Soroca) remains, in the north of the country, distant of more than 150 km of Chişinău. This access had not been designed to receive the near total of the exchanges between Moldavie and the remainder of the CEI and enjoys a monopoly of passage between the two countries. This convergence point is unceasingly encumbered. The freight charge is often re-examined with the rise because of the considerable turning carried out by the conveyers and of waiting moreover into long at this point-border.

To circumvent this problem, the Moldavian State innovated by creating mobile customs houses which would move with the liking of the request on certain points borders. Moreover, this specialized brigade could quickly place itself in border, the day come from the reunification of Moldavie. This project is supported and financed by European program TACIS for the staff training. This project is still not very advanced, for lack of candidate.

Technical incompatibilities

The enclavement of Moldavie is also due to the development of standards at the time Soviet which prevent today the exchanges due to technical incompatibility.

The example more striking is that of the spacing of the ways which differs from Moldavie to Romania. The nodal point of Ungheni is strongly encumbered all along the year because of the technical latency for the change of the Bogie S which comes to be added to the administrative time of customs procedures.

East coast of Moldavie, it is the current one of railway traction which poses problem. Three times of energy are changed: electric, 15 Kv in Ukraine, then 3000 V continuous in diesel Transnistrie then traction of Tiraspol with Chişinău. Moreover, the engines are not always available. It results two hours an average loss from it in addition to the administrative latency.

On the road also, technical barriers are put across the Moldavian conveyers. The vehicles Soviet Euro 0 of manufacture do not have any more the right to circulate in Romania since January 1st 2002, as in the other country of Europe, whereas the Moldavian trade depends mainly on its exchanges with the border regions.

Projects: presentation and analyzes

Which axes of development?

It is necessary to insert Moldavie in its double Européen context and from the CEI while passing by a regional policy transport integrated with its direct neighbors. Its development will pass by a larger opening towards new economic partners all while not renonçant to the historical partners.

In its recommendations with the PECO following the report/ratio “the transport policy in the Central European countries and Eastern”, the ECMT notes that it would always be necessary to keep in mind dimensions local, sub-regional, interregional, national and total of the development of the network of transport infrastructures. In particular, the regional study of the transport infrastructures in Balkans (SHOOTINGS) was regarded as an urgent task.

Concerning the policy to be carried out, always according to the ECMT, the development of a policy of transport should take account of the forecasts of evolution of the request of the various means of transport. Personal mobility should increase by 40 50% in the PECO between 2000 and 2015 (perhaps a little later in Moldavie), are about twice more quickly than the rate planned for the EU. The car fleet should double, which is checked already in Moldavie (see p 13), while the volume of private transport could go until tripling during this period. The growth rate envisaged of public transport travellers being lower than 10% and its share in the modal split should still contract. The growth rate envisaged of the international traffic of travellers should border 80 90%, traffic which will be essentially conveyed by the road and by air. The growth rate envisaged of goods transport in the PECO borders 50 60%, that is to say a progression very close to that envisaged in the EU, the growth of road transport could reach 60 70% compared with 20 30% for the rail-bound transport. The rise of the international transport of goods should exceed 100%: road freight could triple while the progression of the railway freight would be lower than 50%.

The strategy of Moldavie in term of infrastructure must thus take into account these three objectives:

strategy interns economic growth and of reduction of poverty (SCERP);
regional economic policy with Romania and the Ukraine;
transition and durable economic growth from the point of view of European integration (including adhesion with the European Union).

It is necessary to improve the access of the Moldavians to the great routes and thus to bring them closer to an access to the great infrastructure, leaving least possible of areas insularized by a lack of equipment.

Concretely, Moldavie must develop its infrastructures around three axes, themselves inserted in the Pan-European great projects:

the international axis Iaşi/Odessa including Chişinău, Tighina and Tiraspol, the three most important cities of the country; as well as the point-border multimode of Ungheni, already existing. This axis is integrated completely in IXe Pan-European corridor.
the international axis Giurgiuleşti/Orhei/Rîbniţa passing by Chişinău in order to connect the Danubian port of the country to the capital, to disenclose the autonomous region gagaouze and to offer to the Moldavians a direct axis towards Bucharest and Kiev. This axis fits only in one political objective (opening-up, bringing together of the capitals) and economic regional: to connect Chişinău to VIIe corridor (the Danube).
the interior axis Chişinău/Bălţi/Edineţ, allowing a better coordination and a national balance in the development: to bring the second city closer to the country to its capital, to allow to use the airport of Bălţi and to connect the north of the country to the international axes (IXe airport corridor and “hub” of Chişinău).

These general axes make it possible to draw a foreground of infrastructures. It is an information system strategic plan which allows a homogeneous development of the country all while making it turn resolutely towards outside and respects the natural constraints. All the modes are concerned:

air with the network of airports,
fluvio-maritime with the development of Giurgiuleşti and the bond towards Odessa and Constanţa,
road and railway with the terrestrial development of the axes and the nodal points like the points borders.

Moreover, this diagram is complementary and improves the existing infrastructures.

Financing of internal infrastructures

The priorities of financing in the transport infrastructures, depend on the strategic decisions of the ministry for transport and communications (MTC) fall under a more overall policy summarized in the outline law of national strategy ratified in 2002: “Strategy for the Economic growth and the Reduction of Poverty” (SCERP). This outline law is the result of the ratified negotiations before 3 years with the SOEC, the EU, the United States and Russia and fact integral part of the stability pact of Europe of South-east.

The objectives and the priorities of development of the transport sector were recently presented in two or three strategic documents. These documents were compiled with the contribution of the administration of road:

“Moldavian roads in XXIe century”, elaborate on the initiative of the President over the period 2003-2015;
“Concept of integration and development of the domestic network in the International corridors of transport”. It is developed over one period going up to 2015 and determines the general principles of establishment and the development of national main roads of transport in order to integrate Moldavie in the European system of transport;
“medium-term Organization and development of road transport of passengers in the Republic of Moldavie”. It was developed in accordance with the strategy medium-term for the economic development and social of Moldavie and determines the priorities, of the strategic decisions and priority measurements for the development of road transport of passengers until 2005.

Let us see initially an example of successful investment, a project in progress and finally the comprehensive strategy of surface transport of Moldavie for the next years.

The success of the airport of Chişinău

There exists one international airport in Moldavie: that of Chişinău. It receives on average 5000 movements of planes per annum and manages 250.000 passengers and 3000 tons of freight. It can accommodate to 44 apparatuses of all sizes. It connects the principal European capitals (Paris, Frankfurt, Berlin, Warsaw, Budapest and Bucharest inter alia), the Middle East (Tel-Aviv) and the CEI (Minsk, Kiev, Simferopol, Moscow, Saint-Pétersbourg, Rostov on the Gift).

This airport, built in 1974 by the USSR, was to be rehabilitated to make it in conformity with the standards of the ICAO and to receive the statute of international airport in order to integrate Moldavie into the international air grid system.

The BERD and the Moldavian government launched the programme of rehabilitation of the airport in 1996. The invitation to tender was gained by Turkish company AKFEN and it British HALCROW for an entire amount of 11,5 million euros (financing BERD: 74%). The program envisaged:

the rehabilitation of the terminal with passengers (including an access road and the carpark);
the acquisition and the installation of specialized airport equipment;
supply and the installation of an information system;
staff training;
consultation of ancillary projects of services (urban transport, tourist office).

Work lasted of 1998 to 2000, without suspending the exploitation of the airport.

In 1998, it accommodated 16 to 18 planes per day (more than one about thirty movements) and 160.000 people. 400.000 were hoped in 2010 by the direction of the airport. This forecast was strongly re-examined with the rise in 2002 with a fear of obstruction of the airport for 2015.

In addition, a famous “integrator” wished 3 years ago to install its regional platform with Chişinău for its strategic position between Europe and the Middle East. The administrative delays were right of this project.

Relevance of the nodal point of Giurgiuleşti

This port, only possible Moldavian maritime opening, is strategic in more than one way:

It is with the meeting of two cultures, three borders and constitutes a point of natural rallying;
It will allow an energy independence of Moldavie compared to Russia;
It is with the crossing of the two spacings of European highway network and railroad;

· It is close to the Black Sea and its economic basin and to the Eurasian main roads of program TRACECA (connections with Turkey and Georgia).

Moreover, it is the first port of importance of the Danube after the Delta and thus returns in direct competition with the ports of Odessa (Ukraine), Varna (Bulgaria), Constanţa and Galaţi (Romania) to attract flows of transit between the Black Sea and VIIe corridor (the Rhine/Main/the Danube) especially in regional traffic towards Balkans, the Central Europe even, to a lesser extent towards the North Sea.

Moreover, the investment in this port comes at the right moment named for the recovery from the traffic on the Danube, which had been stopped a long time by the war in Yugoslavia in 1993 then by the rebuilding of the bridges and the damaged banks. This traffic will go growing progressively of the integration of the countries of European south-east to the European Union. It is protected better as its competitors and will be able to accommodate any type of ship (carrier, bulk carrier, container ships) up to 10.000 deadweight tonnage and as well of the river buildings as maritime. Its hinterland has a strong capacity of development. Moreover, its statute of free zone enables him to facilitate the modes of transit (transshipments on reefers worms of other ports, modes of improvement, etc)

Strategies in surface transports

With the system of financing envisaged by the Moldavian administration, the comprehensive strategy of the SCERP in the transport sector envisages to release the main roads of the country allowing an equal economic development and social for all as well as a less random management of the public funds for the maintenance of the roads.

According to the administration of the roads, the objectives of the strategy of the road sector of the transport infrastructures are:

to improve the conditions of the existing highway network;
to establish a financial and technical environment adequate to raise the highway network on the level of the European standards;
to develop by stages an highway network express train. The objectives specific to courts and long-term are presented below:

Objectives with short-term: Objectives with the long-term (2004-2013): Readjustment and the maintenance of the highway network to stop its degradation; To raise the principal highway network (approximately 400 km) on the level of the European standards; Change of the legislative structure to give to the administration roads an autonomous statute, with its own financial resources. To raise as well as the principal network, the secondary domestic network (2000 km) and to raise lan (750 km) under acceptable conditions; To gradually develop an highway network express train on the main axes of the country, in correlation with the growth of the internal traffic and of transit.

In relation to the development of the SCERP, the MTC its strategy worked out. It includes an overall picture of the evolution of the infrastructures during the transition, with the difficulties and the solutions, the objectives and the priorities, the environmental aspects.

Economy of Moldavie, and its exports, are mainly based on agriculture and agribusiness industry. One of the main aims of the strategy of the country is to improve the access to the market for the farmers and all their die, thus increasing their competitiveness. That strongly depends on the quality of the transport infrastructure truck drivers and the services related. By taking account of the current situation deplorable of the infrastructure, it can pose a severe barrier in the achievement of this objective (it is true also for other general goals which is related to the quality of the infrastructure). A convenient surface dressing or a bituminous coating could avoid or decrease these types of problems while waiting better. Moreover, it must be mentioned that the principal priorities of the SCERP in the transport sector relate to not only road transport but also the railroads.

Currently, the Moldavian Railroads have a legal personality (national company) and profit from an financial autonomy, managerial and organisational; it establishes a consolidated balance-sheet with the close of each financial year. The railway infrastructure is not separated yet from the services of transport. In 1999, a first modernization program and of reorganization of the railroads was stopped by the State and the ministry for finances erased part of the debts inherited the past. Capital spending programs aiming at developing the infrastructure along IXe corridor appear in programs TACIS since 1996. During the last decade, the reorganization of the railroads was a world phenomenon, particularly in the countries entering the EU (PECO) and those of the CEI. In Moldavie, the economic conditions are not favorable to the rail-bound transport. It is a country of small size and little industrialized. The only positive factor is that it is a country of transit (on IXe corridor).

Currently, the infrastructures of the CFM are a transitory state (with renewals of ways these last years), rolling stock is old, in particular traction and the human productivity is low. Positive financial results of the years 2001 - 2003 disguise a low level of investments as much in the infrastructures, the installations, traction and rolling stock that in the staff training.

These problems and the need for reorganization which results from this had already been registered in the restructuring plan of 1999. However, this internal report did not give quantifiable objectives and the persons in charge for their implementation were not clearly identified. The real projections thus were in lower part of the anticipated results.

In 2003, in connection with the SCERP, the national company a restructuring plan deepened undertook while taking into account of the external process and intern:

the external process refers to the institutional development (regulation) like the procedures in border and the access to the infrastructure.
the process interns concentrates on the transformation by phase of the organization of the CFM and the transitions specific referring itself to it (investment, exploitation, marketing and management).

The modification of the legislation is an essential precondition to the reorganization. The institutional development aims at clarifying the report/ratio between the State and the CFM i.e. to separate the kingly functions and of management. New roles and responsibilities were clearly defined in a bill still in debate in August 2004. The regulating responsibilities for the State will be transferred at an specialized agency (a controlling authority), independent of the ministry for transport. The bill also clearly comprises the concept of public service (“carried out in the general interest” in particular social transport with low tariff, financed with the budget). It also comprises a chapter on the free access to the railway infrastructure (principle of European White paper) as well as the rules relating to subcontracting (public service agreements).

The internal process exposes the implementation of the reorganization of the CFM with the separation of the management of the infrastructure and the exploitation, separation in centers of profits of the operational activities: freight, the passage, (with their material of dedicated traction and their rolling stock) and administration. Three phases of the internal reorganization:

phase 1: reorganization in poles structural of costs (1 year);
phase 2: new evolution in centers of profits (2 years);
phase 3: Establishment of units of businesses.

These units of businesses will have an own and independent management. Their interactions being able to materialize by charges with their budgets via dummy entries countable, even internal invoicings. For its units of businesses, the CFM will follow following strategic measurements for the implementation of the policy of company:

investments/structural reforms (routine maintenance of the infrastructure, leasing of the coaches, installation of an effective information system…)
revision of the exploitation (closing of stations or nonprofitable lines…)
installation of a policy marketing (analyzes of market, segmentation of the products, client relationships…)
administration and management system with an approach costs/profits per unit of business.

At the beginning of the third phase, the government enterprise CFM will become a joint stock company whose State will be the single shareholder. In a posterior phase, one could consider a partial privatization so investors were interested in it but also out of purse with a public quotation.

In its general text, the principal goals of the strategy of the SCERP are:

Economy: Social sector: Growth of GDP (and consequently growth of the public revenues) and by mechanical effect, reduction of the expenditure of transport; Increase in the standard of living of the population by the satisfaction of the demand for transport, reduction of the costs of transport for the road user and reduction of times of way; Reduction in the financial losses inherent in the deplorable situation of the roads. Social situation improved by creation of work in the road sector; Road safety improved and respected environment due to the improvement of the conditions of traffic.

And, like means of this strategy, the objectives for transport are:

establishment of a network of modern infrastructures for an effective transport system and which will facilitate the growth;
improvement of the effectiveness of the expenditure transport;
improvement of economic efficiency, safety and the environment;
facilitation of access to the network and fluxing thanks to the European standards;
integration of the “masterly” roads and the railroads in the European system of transport;
gradual development of a network express train based on the feasibility studies in relation to the Pan-European Corridors of transport.

Integration in the international main roads

The integration of Moldavie to big spaces which surround it is the key of its opening-up. For this reason, it is necessary for Moldavie to take an active part in the various programs and projects emanating of the international organizations and in particular in those proposed by its closest neighbors: the European Union (programs TACIS and PEV) and the CEI.

Regional integration: Moldavie must initially open with its neighbors by facilitating the transborder exchanges. Moreover, it profits since 2003 from program TACIS from transborder Co-operation (CTF). The various last projects and present financed by the cooperation program transborder fall under the prolongation of the principles of the action plan 2003. They aim at improving the effectiveness of the borders:

training of the customs officers and the frontier guards;
supply of equipment;
rehabilitation of the frontier infrastructures;
Creation of a mobile border post with a brigade specialized in order to facilitate the monitoring of the “moving” border with Transnistrie.

And also to reduce smuggling, the clandestine migration and to support the legal trade.

These objectives are of an major importance within the framework of the PEV and also contribute to the economic development assistance of Moldavie. For example, project CTF “Co-operation transborder with Ungheni” supports joint undertakings Moldavian and Rumanian, encourages exports and gets busy to channel the investments in the east of the Prout river. They are important activities, a fortiori for a country without access to the sea. To date, the points of crossing of frontiers located on the principal railway corridors and truck drivers between Moldavie and Romania were taken in account and program CTF 2001 will finance the rebuilding of a bridge in the north of Moldavie, disenclosing all a “eurégion” common to the Ukraine, Romania and Moldavie (Bucovine). Any work of infrastructure of great scale will be subjected to a procedure of impact study on the environment (EIA) similar to that required by the directive of the EU. The facility of small transborder projects is also operational in Moldavie (for the moment, 6 projects add up 1,2 million euros). The sectors concerned are the development assistance room, the social problems, environmental protection.

Pan-European integration: Then, Moldavie must take part in the great development programs of the transport infrastructures to ensure its economic radiation, to facilitate the individual initiatives of the Moldavians and to attract the private sector investments. And in a preoccupation with a balance, Moldavie must tighten the hand with all the projects, which they come from Brussels or Moscow. The declaration of Helsinki of June 25th, 1997 entitled “towards a European transport policy” had as a total objective is to promote durable and effective transport systems meeting the economic and social needs for the European citizens like to their waitings environment safety, contributing to reduce regional disparities and making it possible the european companies successfully to face competition on the worldwide markets.

Terrestrial axes

VIIe and IXe Pan-European Corridors (TINA)

VIIe Pan-European corridor is the river axis “the Rhine Main the Danube” and Moldavie is integrated into this program as country Danubien, signatory of the treaty of Belgrade.

This program, in the beginning primarily intended for the rehabilitation of the banks and the bridges of the Danube in the countries of ex-Yugoslavia, was widened to allow a facilitated passage of the ships towards all the ports of European south-east. For that, the river infrastructure is given financings for its harbor banks, its bridges, its bottom and its infrastructures. The objective of this corridor is multiple:

It must allow economic development around its axis, on a tape of several kilometers and thus ensure an economic viability the crossed areas.
It must disenclose the Central European countries not having an opening on the sea;
It must facilitate the transport of large loads;
It must make possible the regional economic exchanges by playing the part of transborder bond;
Lastly, it must make it possible to unchoke the road axes in the long traffics or of transit, in particular by using combined transport (barges with containers).

IXe corridor is a double road axis and railway having to connect north to the south, Helsinki with Alexandroupolis in Greece. The road axis passes in Moldavie of is in west while passing by the capital. This axis allows an direct access with the country and a minimum transit for international transport. The drawing of this axis meets perfectly the needs for the country in term of road transport because it allows a fast exit of the country and to join quickly very the European main roads towards the places of consumption. On the contrary, the railway axis passes in Moldavie on a north-western south-eastern axis while passing by Chişinău and Tiraspol (see page 19, axis 1). This layout aims at integrating Moldavie in European railway space by making of it a territory hinge between the two types of track gauges. This great crossing of Moldavie will allow the establishment of industrial or logistic parks making it possible Moldavie to bring an added-value (transformation or conditioning) to the intended products to the market, whether it is local or international. The axis also makes it possible to bring closer the port to Odessa, in the same objective. Anticipated profits

For Moldavie, the Danubian corridor will make it possible still to develop the southern area of the country, very low in attracting industry and logistics. The construction of the port of Giurgiuleşti with a developed hinterland will be able to accelerate this growth. In the same way, IXe corridor will make it possible Moldavie to be integrated into European space; being a factor of opening-up and opening. One will be able to quote in examples of opportunities:

Country holidays and cultural;
Exportation of products traditional (wine, tobacco);
maritime and energy Independence, in particular on the importation of oil;
scientific and cultural Co-operations;
Hinterland of the port of Odessa;
logistic Zone of entry in Europe: make up work under a mode of improvement, reconditioning, transit (free zones).

Integration with the networks of the CEI or corridors of OSJD

In the recent History, Moldavie belonged to the USSR and its railway network developed under the Soviet standards. Moreover, the Moldavian economy depends still much on Russia and will continue to depend on it as a privileged economic partner. Lastly, the statutes of the CEI envisage the principle of territorial continuity within the old Member States of the Soviet Union to allow the citizens separated by the new borders to continue to travel by the railway mode, always privileged.

It is thus naturally that Moldavie adhered to the OSJD and takes part in the coordination of the networks in spacing 1,52 m like in the projects of Eurasian railway corridors.

To this means, Moldavie counts:

to preserve its historical links all while opening at other markets;
to avoid a final escape of its Slavic population;
to attract the through-freight enters Europe, the CEI and Asia.

However, the problem of the crossing of Transnistrie by Railroad is still not solved: the continuity of service between Moldavie and the remainder of the CEI is always conditioned by the good will of the administration transnistrienne. As example, in summer 2004, after Moldavie imposed economic sanctions against Transnistrie, the latter made close the section between Bender and Kutchurgan (Ukraine) using concrete blocks. Thus, Moldavie was found isolated from the remainder of the CEI during two weeks.

This different between the two “Moldavian States” underlines the brittleness of the territorial continuity of the country, as well at the internal level as international. It comes to be added with the chronic problems of the infrastructures which age fault of investments.

Other programs

Program TRACECA or “Silk route”

The program Traceca (Transport corridor Europe Caucasus Asia) is today the principal tool for co-operation of the European Union in the eight country of the Caucasus and the Central Asia. The goal is to disenclose the area by creating a corridor of goods transport (in particular energy), terrestrial and maritime, connected to the networks trans-Europeans and China, while passing by the Black Sea. It is also a question of supporting the economic independence of these countries and a future regional co-operation. Launched in 1993, this project really started to take form in 1995, following - European programs of food aid intended for this area and for which the difficult routing revealed the enormous requirements in infrastructures. The founding document is signed with the conference of Bakou in September 1998 in the presence of representatives of thirty-two countries and many international organizations. Investment plans and of technical assistance, financed by the EU, but also the BERD and the World Bank, are worked out to harmonize the policies of transport, to rehabilitate and computerize, create conditions of competition, to ensure the safety of the traffic… This program meets nevertheless political obstacles and its economic viability is sometimes disputed. It does not remain about it less than, from 1993 to 2000, the traffic passed from 300.000 to 11,4 million tons.

Moldavie forms integral part of the program, like the Ukraine, under adjoining country of the Black Sea, i.e. like country of European outlet to the corridor of transport of the Central Asia.

Thus, Moldavie is already regarded as a country-hinge in great Eurasian flows of transport and is without-doubt called to develop advance of the corridor progressively.

The project of zone of exchange in the basin of the Black Sea

Field of East-West ideological confrontation during the years of the cold war, the basin of the Black Sea became an area whose residents seek the ways of a peaceful existence founded on mutual interests. These countries are seven: Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldavie, Ukraine, Russia, Georgia.

It is within the framework of the new international conjuncture of beginning of the year 1990 that the former president of Turkey, Turgut Özal, launched the idea of a new diagram of economic cooperation in the area of the Black Sea, in order to develop and diversify the economic relations between the countries bordering and bordering, while insisting on the advantages of their geographical proximity and of the complementarity of their economies.

Thus, the Economic cooperation of the Black Sea (CEMN) aims to promote the economic cooperation in order to avoid the conflicts and to help the participating States in be integrated in the European economy. The fields of co-operation are in particular the trade, the investments, transport, energy, the communications and the environment.

The Summit of the heads of state and government of October 25th, 1996 with Moscow launched the project and that of June 5th, 1998, with Yalta ratifies the existence and the activities of the CEMN by the signature of a treaty of co-operation, marking its transformation into an authentic regional economic organization in international matter and statute.

One of the shutters of the CEMN is the creation of a “PEtrA” or Pan-European zone of transport. It is about a program gathering all the existing projects in term of infrastructures to coordinate them within the framework of the economic basin and to connect them to the others Pan-European Corridors of transport. This zone extend from the littoral of the Black Sea to be inserted up to 300 km in the grounds. The totality of Moldavie is included/understood in the zone of influence of PEtrA, by way of derogation, in order not to penalize the north of the country.

This structure of co-operation makes it possible Moldavie to have access to new lines of appropriations via the great world financial institutions (BERD, the World Bank) and of the private sector investments. As example, the investments Turkish in Moldavie have triplets since the creation of PEtrA.

Conclusion: to be the crossroads enters the EU and the CEI

The transport sector in Moldavie is characterized by an obsolete and little maintained infrastructure, because of poverty of the country, of its political instability and little interest on behalf of the international institutions. A slow change was started since 1999 with a rationalized air sector and a railway sector in conversion, the whole in an ambitious general political will. However, this change is slow because of administrative heavinesses which characterize the countries of the old USSR and especially of the presence of Transnistrie which destroys all inclinations of economic opening.

The opening of Moldavie is essential all the same. It goes from there from the territorial integrity of this young country and the stability of all the southern area of the Balkans. To insulate Moldavie would constitute a danger to the European Union, especially after its widening; and to push back it towards the east would deprive Europe of a partner placed very well on the Eurasian chart. Moreover, transport is means of communication ensuring an important social link in addition to the economic utility. Moldavie, by its animated history is a multiracial country and pluriculturel. It needs perennial infrastructures to ensure social peace and to avoid isolationisms of the many minorities. It must thus disenclose and be disenclosed.

However, today, Moldavie must face an internal crisis without precedent. The topicality recalls us that Moldavie is too the poorest country of the most unstable Europe and. July 30th, 2004, Transnistrie made close “manu militari” the way of railroad connecting the Ukraine to Moldavie, while making install by the army of the concrete blocks. The autonomous territory thus answered a Moldavian decision to raise administrative barriers against exports transnistriennes. Moldavie is today more isolated than ever, deprived from the major axis connecting it to its principal economic partner. The current existence even of Moldavie is called into question by Moscow and Bucharest which could “divide well” the remainders of the small breathless country: old Bessarabia in Romania and Transnistrie in Russia, like strategic territory as well as the enclave of Kaliningrad. Today thus, two assumptions take shape: reunification of Moldavie (project of confederation) or its disappearance.

In both cases, the area is extremely well placed in geographical term and the local population suffers to remain in margin of the European development. Also in both cases, it can be used as bond between the two Europes and to become a zone of transit thanks to the contributions of the paneuropéens projects in addition to the infrastructures exist.

The international organizations hardly start to include/understand the urgency of the Moldavian situation. For example, the European Policy of Vicinity (PEV) decided in June 2004 integrates Moldavie into the privileged partners of the EU and the SOEC takes very the problem transnistrien with the serious one. Therefore, to ensure this opening and the economic viability of the area, of large efforts in term of transport infrastructures is necessary with the decisions referring itself to it:

of the infrastructures in energy and communication;
the opening of the markets;
the free use of the infrastructures by any operator (freedom of movement).

Moldavie turned towards logistics is a plausible assumption, by taking into account its weak industrialization, its geographical position near to the Black Sea and its infrastructures, existing and in project (double spacing of the ways of railroad, for example).

With an adequate policy of investment in the large infrastructures and incentive to the establishment (free zones, desfiscalisation), Moldavie could attract much companies eager to position on an “Eurasian” market whose products must be adapted to each market: make up work under a customs mode of improvement, reconditioning, etc allowing Moldavie to bring a substantial added-value to the products forwarding by its ground.

This sector would provide for Moldavie employment which it needs and the economic viability which it misses: the logistic zone of input/output in Europe.

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