Codrul Cosminului (Jul 2012)
The knotted rails – economic situation and geopolitical determinants of Moldovan railways
Abstract
Basarabia during the history was nothing more than periphery of Tsar Russia, Romania and finally Soviet Union, so was rather neglected and undeveloped rural province. The Ribbentrop-Molotov pact and creation of Moldovan SSR caused disintegration of Basarabia as a historical land. In the result it was isolated from Romania and many transport routes were cut by Soviet republican border. As long as Moldova existed as a part of USSR, that was not a serious problem, but when Soviet Union collapsed and republics announced its independence, republican border changed into state border. All that caused that all Moldovan transport system and especially railways were disintegrated. In addition, factual secession of Transnistria brought blockade of Moldovan railway transport on its territory and lost control over all infrastructure and rolling stock, what caused serious problems to Moldovan foreign trade. The problem of railways appeared to be one of the most important subjects of negotiations between Chişinău and Tiraspol. In addition Moldovan railways are underdeveloped and its network cannot ensure full security and development of state. Moldova is too poor and too weak country to overcome these problems. On the other hand, Moldovan government made great work to improve condition of railway transport and ensure economic independence.
