Investments of 8 Billion Lei Are Needed to Bring Moldova Railway Out of the Crisis

Vladimir Bolea, Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development, announced large-scale plans for the reform and development of the state-owned enterprise Moldova Railway. The company has historical debts of over 1.13 billion lei and a severely worn-out infrastructure, according to mold-street.com. According to the minister, the critical situation has developed due to the fact that for 12 years the company has been in complete decline, starting from 2012-2013, during the rule of the Alliance for European Integration. Speaking at the press club, Bolea said that at the time of his inauguration, the company’s debts exceeded one billion lei, including debts for diesel fuel, electricity, heat, and natural gas. According to him, unpaid bills for decades were revealed. Additionally, the company had salary arrears for nine months. In February 2025, the company’s revenues amounted to only 22 million lei, despite the fact that salaries required about 40 million lei, which created a serious financial gap. The minister noted that after the change of leadership, the situation has improved somewhat – salary arrears have been reduced to four months, but the situation remains critical. In 2026, the company is planned to be restructured by splitting into two separate entities. The first one, Moldova Railway Infrastructure, will manage the state’s railway infrastructure, including tracks, train stations and bridges. It will remain in the state's ownership, without the possibility of privatization, and will receive government subsidies for modernization and maintenance. The second company, Moldova Railway Cargo, will become a commercial operator responsible for the transportation of goods and passengers, operating in a competitive market based on its own revenues.