Moldovan PM pays visit to Giurgiulesti Free International Port

Chisinau, 23 January /MOLDPRES/ - Prime Minister Ion Chicu today paid a working visit to the south Moldova Giurgiulesti Free International Port (PILG). The PM was accompanied by a group of decision-makers of the State Chancellery and the Economics and Infrastructure Ministry (MEI).   

According to the government’s communication and protocol department, in the beginning of the meeting, the prime minister thanked the decision-takers of the managing company for the acceptance of the meeting. “We want to know how your activities unfold and how the government can support the development and growth of this business,” Ion Chicu said.

Director General of Danube Logistics Holding Mathias von Tucher made a short presentation of the port at present, both as structure and as operational data.  

Sixty five per cent of the port’s shares are owned by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and 35 per cent – by Danube Logistics Holding. More than 470 employees work at the port and about 70 million dollars was invested in infrastructure.   

In 2019, more than one million tons of goods were carried through the Giurgiulesti Port, of which 57 per cent were exported and 42 per cent – imported. As much as 72 per cent of the imports were from EU, mostly from Romania. In 2019, products were exported to 44 countries, most of them – 44 per cent of goods and products – to the European Union.   

In the near future, a terminal for the carriage of bulk wine was put into operation at PILG, which will give an impetus to the export of wines and will widen the geography of wines’ exports.  

PILG’s management listed a string of problems, for the settlement of which the government’s support is needed. The sides discussed including aspects which can compromise the investment intentions and trigger conditions of unfair competition.

The sides stressed the necessity to carry out the activities of maintaining the navigability on the Prut river – actions fulfilled by PILG’s managers at present. The port’s management also highlighted the problem of obsolete and conflict-stricken approaches, which hinder the carrying out of the operational activities and the investment process.  

Another subject discussed was the need to strengthen the infrastructure of the Moldovan Railway (CFM) at PILG, by uncoupling locomotives, railway carriages and putting into operation of the Cahul-Giurgiulesti railway line.

PM Ion Chicu demanded that MEI representatives consider each subject, unveil information and solutions for the sustainable development of the port’s activities in a legal way, by compulsorily observing the environmental protection requirements.  

After the meeting, the prime minister, accompanied by PILG’s management, visited a string of enterprises working at the Port and took knowledge of the investments made into the present infrastructure and the plans of its development.