The European Commission will not support investments in broad gauge, – the Minister of Infrastructure of Poland

The European Commission may not support investments in broad gauge, which are necessary for uninterrupted freight traffic between Ukraine and Poland.

Currently, the issue of connectivity is one of the key challenges for Poland and Ukraine, in particular, because of European standard tracks.

Polish Minister of Infrastructure Andrzej Adamczyk said this during the opening of the 12th Railway Congress on Thursday, November 17, in Warsaw, Rail.inside reports.

“Our relations are good, and I hope that they will lead to intensive investments, for which Ukraine is already preparing,” said the minister. — Ukrainian railwaymen have ambitions to build a European track to Mariupol and Odesa. They don’t want to wait, they know it needs to be prepared now.”

Adamchyk also added that “the European Commission cannot support investments in broad gauge even by one cent.”

“Standardization, the European track, the basic TEN-T network are the most important goals,” summed up the Polish minister.

He noted that “the development of Polish infrastructure, despite the pandemic and Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, is not slowing down.”

Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine Mustafa Nayem was also present at the congress. He pointed to the chances of Polish infrastructure companies to restore Ukraine, and also named the key investments that Ukrzaliznytsia intends to implement to improve connections with Poland.

Nayem emphasized that, despite the conclusion of a new agreement that will allow the transportation of grain by sea, the railway must also take care of this.

“We will repair the tracks to the next border points, but we lack hubs that would receive them. We want to closely cooperate with the Poles in this area,” commented the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine.