European integration of transport sector requires eliminating monopolization, opening market – Derkach

Deputy Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine Serhiy Derkach said this in an interview with Ukrinform.

“European integration, including in the transport sector, remains one of the main challenges for the country. There have been monopolies in the railway transport market, which is taboo for Europeans, as the market must be open. The corresponding bill has already been registered in the Verkhovna Rada,” Derkach emphasized.

According to him, Ukraine is currently implementing projects under the Connecting Europe Facilities (CEF) program. In particular, railway networks are being improved and standard gauge are being developed. There are plans to receive funding for the construction of a narrow gauge railway line from Chernivtsi to Vadul-Siret and the construction of a standard gauge railway line from Uzhhorod to the border.

“We also want to extend a narrow gauge railway line to Lviv, and later to Kyiv. And when this is done, I believe foreign companies will be more interested in coming to us. But for now, we need to comply with critical EU directives, and our partners from ERA will help us with this,” the Deputy Minister said.

He suggests that it will be difficult to reopen all six international airports that operated in Ukraine before the full-scale invasion, so everything will happen gradually.

As reported, the Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development signed a memorandum with the European Railways Agency (ERA), which provides for cooperation in the field of technical harmonization of the railway systems of the European Union and Ukraine.