CFM earned 22.7 million lei in profit
Moldova Railways (CFM) concluded the first nine months of the year with a profit of 22.7 million lei, moving past a long-standing period of losses and outstanding wage payments. Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Bolea, Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development, attributes this performance to the resumption of grain exports and the opening of the Fălciu–Cantemir border crossing point.
"Despite massive increases in fuel prices—with the company purchasing fuel on the open market without any preferential terms—CFM [Moldova Railways] concluded the first nine months of the current year with a surplus of 22.7 million lei. This has ensured timely salary payments for staff and provided logistics support for exporters in the Republic of Moldova. These economic activities were facilitated through both of the country’s ports, with approximately 2.7 million tons of cargo—consisting of agricultural produce and grain—being exported," the Deputy Prime Minister reported following the Government meeting on October 21.
The reopening of the Fălciu–Cantemir railway border crossing point has generated revenues exceeding 30 million lei, added Vladimir Bolea.
"Thanks to investment programs developed by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development—with the backing of both Parliament and the Government—we are working daily to develop an economic entity that is vital to the national economy," Bolea said.
The financial difficulties faced by the state-owned railway company, CFM began as early as 2009, when the volume of freight transport dropped by more than half.
This decline persisted into 2016, and the situation worsened further in 2022, when rail transit from Ukraine fell sharply following the closure of the port of Odesa.
These developments led to a drop in CFM’s revenues, which in turn resulted in increasingly long delays in the payment of employee salaries—with arrears reaching several months. In an effort to reduce its financial burden and partially settle outstanding wage payments, CFM put old railcars and parts up for auction, while some of the company's employees were placed on forced leave for several months.
CFM paid wage arrears in full only in April 2026; for context, they amounted to about 49 million lei in 2025.
According to Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Bolea, CFM ended 2024 with losses of approximately 320 million lei, and 2025 with a deficit of around 85 million lei.
