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The government of Slovakia is preparing a €178 million upgrade to the Danube River ports of the capital, Bratislava, with an eye to increasing their participation in the reconstruction of Ukraine.
The country's transport minister has submitted a proposal that includes upgrades to the cargo port in Bratislava as well as two passenger ports and a freight railway line. The project, prepared by the country's Public Ports company, also calls for construction of a single terminal for rail, road and water transport.
Slovak Transport Minister Jozef Ráž submitted the request for the works as a "strategic investment," accelerating the permitting. The work would take place between 2025 and 2030, reported Slovak newspaper Dennik.
The government plans to ask for funding for the upgrade from the money the European Union has earmarked for the reconstruction of Ukraine, the newspaper said.
Earlier this week, Romania's government approved a plan to offer to buy the Giurgiulești International Free Port, the only port in neighboring Moldova, to position it as a hub for the reconstruction of Ukraine.
Romania's Cabinet approved a proposal to start negotiations with the current owner, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), through the Romanian state-owned Constanta Maritime Ports Administration.
The port, the only one accessible to seagoing vessels in Moldova, lies at the confluence of the Prut and Danube rivers and near the Black Sea.
