Lipcani-Rădăuţi Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Lipcani-Rădăuţi Bridge is a road bridge over Prut
and a checkpoint between Moldova and Romania.
bridge was built up in 1937 and blasted up in 1941 by retreating Red Army
, during the German-led invasion of the Soviet Union
. It was rebuilt but destroyed again in 1944 during bombing in the World War II
. In 2000, the European Commission earmarked 11 million euros to Moldova and Romania to reconstruct the bridge. The construction was completed in 2005. The bridge is 246 metres (807.1 ft) long and 10.5 metres (34.4 ft) broad. The bridge is located more than 250 km (155.3 mi) away from Chişinău
.
The bridge and the border checkpoint between Romania
and Moldova
were re-unveiled on February 15, 2010. The inauguration ribbon was cut by Prime Minister
Vlad Filat
, Romanian Administration and Interior Minister Vasile Blaga
and the head of the Delegation of the European Union to Moldova
, Dirk Schuebel
. Filat noted that after 66 years, Moldovan citizens have again the possibility of crossing the bridge. Besides Filat, Moldova was represented at the event by Interior Minister Victor Catan
, the head of the Customs Service Tudor Baliţchi and the head of the Border Guard Service Alexei Roibu and Romania by the head of the Suceava County Council, Gheorghe Flutur
, the head of the Botoşani County Council, Mihai Ţîbuleac, and the prefect
of Botoşani County
, Cristian Roman.
The new checkpoint at Lipcani-Rădăuţi Prut will facilitate the implementation of the agreement on small-scale cross-border trade signed by the two states at the end of 2009. There are another seven Moldova–Romania border crossings.
Prut
The Prut is a long river in Eastern Europe. In part of its course it forms the border between Romania and Moldova.-Overview:...
and a checkpoint between Moldova and Romania.
History
The Rădăuţi-LipcaniLipcani
Lipcani is a town in Briceni District, Moldova. It is also a border crossing between Moldova and Romania.- Overview :Lipcani is located on the banks of the Prut river, which forms the border with Romania. The border with Ukraine is also only a few kilometers to the north. Lipcani is located in...
bridge was built up in 1937 and blasted up in 1941 by retreating Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
, during the German-led invasion of the Soviet Union
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
. It was rebuilt but destroyed again in 1944 during bombing in the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 2000, the European Commission earmarked 11 million euros to Moldova and Romania to reconstruct the bridge. The construction was completed in 2005. The bridge is 246 metres (807.1 ft) long and 10.5 metres (34.4 ft) broad. The bridge is located more than 250 km (155.3 mi) away from Chişinău
Chisinau
Chișinău is the capital and largest municipality of Moldova. It is also its main industrial and commercial centre and is located in the middle of the country, on the river Bîc...
.
The bridge and the border checkpoint between Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
and Moldova
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
were re-unveiled on February 15, 2010. The inauguration ribbon was cut by Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Moldova
The Prime Minister of Moldova is Moldova's head of government. The prime minister is formally appointed by the President and exercises executive power along with the cabinet subject to parliamentary support.-Moldavian Democratic Republic :...
Vlad Filat
Vlad Filat
Vladimir Filat is a Moldovan politician, the Prime Minister of Moldova since 25 September 2009.- Education and early career :...
, Romanian Administration and Interior Minister Vasile Blaga
Vasile Blaga
Vasile Blaga is a Romanian politician and the current Speaker of the Upper Chamber of the Romanian Parliament, the Senate, and a former Minister of Regional Development and Housing and twice former Minister of Administration and Internal Affairs....
and the head of the Delegation of the European Union to Moldova
Delegation of the European Union to Moldova
The Delegation of the European Union to Moldova was established to facilitate relations between Moldova and the European Union. It is located in Moldova's capital, Chişinău.- History :...
, Dirk Schuebel
Dirk Schuebel
Dirk Steffen Schuebel is a diplomat and economist from Germany. He has been the Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Moldova since November 2009.-Biography:...
. Filat noted that after 66 years, Moldovan citizens have again the possibility of crossing the bridge. Besides Filat, Moldova was represented at the event by Interior Minister Victor Catan
Victor Catan
Victor Catan is a Moldovan politician. He is the current Interior Minister in Vlad Filat Cabinet.- Biography :...
, the head of the Customs Service Tudor Baliţchi and the head of the Border Guard Service Alexei Roibu and Romania by the head of the Suceava County Council, Gheorghe Flutur
Gheorghe Flutur
Gheorge Flutur is a Romanian politician, member of the Liberal Democratic Party. He was previously a member of the National Liberal Party, which he resigned from in November 2006. Between December 2004 and November 2006, Flutur was the Minister of Agriculture in the Tăriceanu government...
, the head of the Botoşani County Council, Mihai Ţîbuleac, and the prefect
Prefect (Romania)
A prefect in Romania represents the Government in each of the country's 41 counties, as well as the Municipality of Bucharest.-Attributes:The main attributes of prefects are defined at Article 123 of the Constitution of Romania:...
of Botoşani County
Botosani County
Botoșani is a county of Romania, in Moldavia, with the capital city at Botoșani.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 452,834 and the population density was 91/km2.*Romanians – – the highest percentage of Romanians in Romania...
, Cristian Roman.
The new checkpoint at Lipcani-Rădăuţi Prut will facilitate the implementation of the agreement on small-scale cross-border trade signed by the two states at the end of 2009. There are another seven Moldova–Romania border crossings.