Moldovan Railway Workers Threaten to Halt Trains Due to Salary Arrears

Employees of the State Enterprise “Railway of Moldova” have repeatedly staged protests since the beginning of the year, demanding the payment of salary arrears. Workers threaten to block the tracks and stop trains that transport Ukrainian grain.

This is reported by AgroReview

On March 14, protesters took to the streets of Chisinau again, expressing their demands for the payment of salaries that they have not received for over six months. In addition to the capital, protests also took place in Bălți, Ungheni, Ocnița, Basarabeasca, and Djurdjulesti, which are important railway hubs in the country. According to information, the debt to employees exceeds 200 million lei (approximately 11.3 million dollars).

The protesters emphasize the need to settle the debts, compensate for the losses caused by the delay in payments, and raise the minimum wage to 5500 lei. If their demands are not met, railway workers are ready to terminate their employment contracts early.

The situation could lead to mass layoffs, complicating the operation of the Moldovan railway and negatively impacting the implementation of joint infrastructure projects, including the EU-Ukraine initiative “Solidarity Routes,” aimed at improving logistics routes for transporting Ukrainian agricultural products.