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Opinion: The Association Agreement with the EU will increase the traffic by train “Viking”
15:40 / 14.10.2013

ODESA, OCTOBER 14th, 2013, CONTEXT-PRICHERNOMORIE ¬― Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine Volodymyr Kozak considers that the Association Agreement with the EU will increase the freight traffic activity by train “Viking”, Context-Prichernomorie correspondent reports.

The press service of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine noted that such statement was made by Volodymyr Kozak on Saturday, 12 October, during the 3rd meeting of the Eastern Partnership Ministers of Transport.

According to the press service, the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine expects the appearance of new partners in projects of developing the transport direction of the Baltic Sea ― Black Sea after the signing of European Union Association Agreement.

“The European Union Association Agreement is a priority for Ukraine. It is a significant investment in the economy of the country. Such relationship with the European Union is a new round for the transport sector. In particular, we hope to increase the volume of cargo operations at the ports of the Black Sea region, to develop a transport train ‘Viking’,” Mr Kozak mentioned.

“With the aim of finding new operators, freighters, Ukraine is ready to share the experience and technical decisions regarding the use of different networks of railways: the European (1435 mm) and the countries of the CIS and Baltic (1520mm),” the press –service added.

The Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine discussed with the Minister of Infrastructure and Communications of the Republic of Lithuania Rimantas Sinkevičius the diversification of routes of combined transport train “Viking” and attraction new partners to the project. It is referred to the interest and readiness of Azerbaijan’s accession to the Agreement on the development of freight traffic in the direction of the Baltic Sea ― Black Sea, which was concluded 12 May, 2008 between the transport authorities of Ukraine, Lithuania and Belarus. Later, Georgia and Moldova joined to the Agreement.

Also, during the 3rd meeting of the Eastern Partnership Ministers of Transport, the Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine Volodymyr Kozak held talks with State Secretary of Latvian Ministry of Transport Kaspars Ozolins on the further development of common projects, in particular container train “Zubr”.

“The EU Association is the ability to attract new customers and increase in volume of cargo transportation. For the railway is the attraction of transit flows as from Europe to Asia and vice versa. Therefore, after the signing of the agreement the cargo capacity of a container train “Zubr”, as one of the most promising projects for the development of the transport corridor between the Baltic and Black Seas, will increase significantly,” Mr Kozak said.