Moldova strengthens flood protection: Dike overhaul
Several dikes previously owned by state-run irrigation enterprises, which are either undergoing insolvency or are inactive, have been transferred to the management of the National Administration "Apele Moldovei" (Waters of Moldova) following a government vote.
This step will enable the rehabilitation and modernization of the national flood protection system, utilizing both internal and external budgetary resources, stated Radu Cazacu, Deputy Director of the Agency. By directly assuming management, the institution will be able to efficiently administer both accounting records and the repair and maintenance processes for the dikes. This change will allow for the rapid commencement of works and eliminate complicated steps in transferring investments to other agencies, he added.
These protection dikes were previously managed by several state-owned enterprises under the Public Property Agency. Consequently, the flood protection infrastructure, among other assets, will be transferred, through an absorption process, to the new institution – the National Administration "Apele Moldovei." In recent years, the "Apele Moldovei" Agency had made investments in the capital repair of dikes. However, it was very difficult to capitalize on these investments because the dikes were not under our direct management and were not included in our accounting records. Therefore, we had to transfer these investments to the Public Property Agency, which was a complicated procedure.
Regarding financing, yes, funds for repairs were allocated from the state budget, and actual repairs have already begun. We've been working on rehabilitation projects for two years. However, until recently, unfortunately, substantial amounts for these works had not yet been allocated.
Between 2014 and 2023, approximately 274 million lei were allocated to the "Apele Moldovei" agency for the repair and strengthening of protection dikes. These efforts focused on the most vulnerable flood-prone sectors, involving works such as crown reinforcement and slope restoration. For 2024, the Agency invested approximately 49 million lei in dike repairs and maintenance. The budget for 2025 has significantly increased to 105 million lei.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
