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European Investment Bank to finance irrigation projects in Moldova

Prime Minister Vlad Filat on September 21 held a meeting with the deputy chairman of the European Investment Bank (EIB), Wilhelm Moterer, the government's communciation and press relations department has reported.

The two officials approached the projects implemented so far, as well as some future plans.

Filat noted that the improvement of the road infrastructure is a priority for the government.

«We are expected to complete in line with the plan the restoration of all the national roads, and later those linking the settlements», he said.

Also, the sides reviewed other future projects. The EIB expressed willingness to finance farmland irrigation projects, as well as to provide a loan for new trolleybuses in Balti.

During the meeting, they also discussed the projects already contracted by Moldova, as well as their implementation process. The projects' main sectors are: energy, finance, development of the small and middle-sized enterprises, road infrastructure, modernization of the Chisinau International Airport, vine-growing and wine-making sector, as well as the national strategy on water supply for irrigation.

Filat thanked for 2-million-euro-grant for the restoration of dams provided after the 2010 floods, noting that an advisory company dealing with the elaboration of a protection plan is to be contracted by late 2012.

Moterer said that today, a financing agreement worth 10.3 million euros is expected to be signed with Chisinau city hall for repairing many streets.

At the end of the conference, Filat signed a new financing request estimated at 150 million euros for the restoration of 176 km of national roads. He said he is going to hand it in to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Adapted from Moldpres