Ukrainian Railways ready to join extension of EU transport corridors
“Ukrzaliznytsia is ready to join the extension of the EU’s strategic transport corridors with the Eastern Partnership countries. The project provides for modernization and electrification of the strategic areas,” Chairman of the Ukrzaliznytsia Board Yevhen Kravtsov said, the press service of the company reports.
According to him, over the past several years, Ukrzaliznytsia invested a significant amount of funds in the infrastructure development. At the same time, attracting EU funds for these projects would significantly strengthen the transit potential of Ukraine.
In particular, last year, Kravtsov said, Ukrzaliznytsia spent about UAH 5 billion out of UAH 16.9 billion in capital investment on the railway infrastructure development.
In addition, according to him, about 300 km of rail tracks were reconstructed in the main directions of the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) on the territory of Ukraine last year.
The press service of Ukrzaliznytsia recalls that in January 2019, the European Commission made a decision to allocate EUR 13 billion to extend the EU’s strategic transport corridors with the Eastern Partnership countries neighboring the EU. It is planned to spend EUR 2 billion on railway projects. According to the investment action plan in the Eastern Partnership countries, Ukraine can receive EUR 850 million for implementation of the investment projects on the improvement of the railway infrastructure.
The draft investment plan was developed by the European Commission in cooperation with the World Bank. It covers 4,800 road and rail links, six ports and 11 logistics centers in Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.
