Dionisie Ternovschi, Chairman of the Ungheni District Council, at FERM 2025: “The Free Economic Zone has become a real engine of regional development in Ungheni.”
100 economic opportunities for the development of the Moldova Region on the A7 Highway route
REGIONAL ECONOMIC FORUM MOLDOVA 2025
19th Edition – Vatra Dornei, July 9–13, 2025
Thematic Panel:
Positioning Moldova in the Romania – China Economic Partnership
Speaker:
Dionisie Ternovschi – Chairman of the Ungheni District Council
Topic of the intervention:
“Ungheni Free Economic Zone”
President of the Ungheni District Council, Dionisie Ternovschi, highlighted to the participants the significant potential of the Ungheni Free Economic Zone, an essential industrial and logistics hub for the Republic of Moldova, as well as an example of best practices in attracting investments and cross-border collaborations.
Ungheni – The Economic Gateway to Moldova
Dionisie Ternovschi emphasized that the greatest competitive advantage of the Ungheni district is its geostrategic location.
“We are at the most interesting logistical intersection in all of the Republic of Moldova – all railway lines pass through Ungheni, and here is also where the wheel gauge change is done for freight rail transport between the different gauges of Eastern and Western countries.”
Furthermore, the road infrastructure is undergoing accelerated modernization, consolidated by the construction of the Ungheni road bridge, a project awaited for over 20 years, which has the potential to become a new symbol of economic connectivity between Romania and the Republic of Moldova.
Ungheni Free Economic Zone – a model of development and investment attraction
Established in 2002 for a duration of 42 years, the Ungheni Free Economic Zone (FEZ) has proven to be a driver of local and regional development, offering a preferential tax regime for investors, including 0% VAT on exports and total taxes up to 10%.
“The free economic zone has allowed us to attract significant investments, develop European projects, and generate substantial revenues for local budgets. For us, every salary paid in a company within the FEZ translates into concrete resources for local development.”
Relevant figures of the Ungheni Free Economic Zone:
- 56 resident companies
- 121 million euros annual turnover
- 104 million euros total investments
- Over 2,500 jobs created
- 18 million euros tax contributions paid to the state
Success stories and economic diversification
The largest investor in the Ungheni FEZ is Lear Corporation, a manufacturer of components for the luxury automotive industry – Audi, Mercedes, Porsche. Other companies in the zone produce furniture, footwear, carpets, electronic wiring harnesses, or thermal insulation materials.
“We have an export-oriented economy, and the workforce in Ungheni has proven to know how to deliver quality. This is a guarantee for investors.”
Euro Business Park – a new chapter for Ungheni
Considering that the current free economic zone has reached full capacity (50 hectares fully occupied), the Ungheni authorities propose to extend the successful model through an ambitious new project – Euro Business Park Ungheni, located near the future bridge over the Prut River.
“We are in advanced negotiations for the Ministry of Defense to cede a portion of approximately 300 hectares of land to establish the Euro Business Park Ungheni. We have learned from the positive experiences of colleagues in Arad, Oradea, and Cluj, and now it is our turn to replicate these best practices.”
The project has sparked interest among investors, including some Chinese companies and potential partners from Italy, which suggests a real openness to international partnerships in the context of the reconfiguration of regional economic corridors.
Nicolae Vasilescu, President of the Romania – China Chamber of Commerce and Industry, emphasized the strategic importance of the project, stating that the first companies to invest in the Euro Business Park will most likely come from China. His message was a strong signal of the potential Ungheni has to become an anchoring point for Asian investors in the East European border region.
Opening East and West: A Market of 869 Million Consumers
The Republic of Moldova benefits from an extensive network of free trade agreements with 47 countries, providing local companies access to both the European Union and markets in the ex-Soviet space, despite geopolitical tensions.
“We must acknowledge that the political context is complicated, but for business, trade relations must be maintained wherever there is demand.”
The Navigable Prut – A Strategic Dream with Real Potential
A notable topic in the panel was the idea of transforming the Prut River into a navigable waterway, which would allow the creation of a new economic and tourism transport corridor between Moldova, Romania, and the Black Sea.
“This is a vision worthy of serious consideration. We need large projects with regional impact,” emphasized Ternovschi, supported in his idea by representatives from Romania.
Conclusions: Strategic Vision and Concrete Commitment to Sustainable Development
The presentation given by the President of the Ungheni District Council, Dionisie Ternovschi, highlighted a clear and coherent vision on the economic development directions of the region. The emphasis on leveraging Ungheni District’s geostrategic position, on strengthening transport infrastructure and expanding investment attraction capacity reflects an integrated approach focused on concrete results.
Through projects such as the expansion of the Free Economic Zone and the Euro Business Park initiative, the local administration demonstrates not only the ability to meet investor demand but also the willingness to build sustainable partnerships at regional and international levels. Simultaneously, active involvement in dialogue with central authorities and openness to successful models from Romania contribute to strengthening a competitive and connected economic ecosystem.
Ungheni assumes an active role in the economic integration process of the Republic of Moldova and confirms, through concrete actions, its potential to become a pole of sustainable development in the border region.
