Moldova: Beloci water mill restored with EU and UNDP support

A water mill dating from the late 19th century has been restored with the support of the EU Confidence Building Measures Programme, implemented by UNDP Moldova. 

Selected through a public competition conducted by the EU and UNDP in 2020, the mill is one of the ten cultural historical sites on both banks of the Nistru river that benefit from restoration and conservation works.

This is the biggest mill in the region, which has been preserved fairly well over the years. When it was in operation, the Beloci water mill produced several types of flour.

“The mill is crafted of a wooden frame, which basically holds the entire construction. The real difficulty was to replace the basic elements and restore them to their previous condition,” said Iurii Krikliveț, deputy director of the construction company that conducted the restoration. 

The mill will now be protected from adverse weather conditions and will last for at least another 20-30 years. The area around the mill, by the Beloci river, has also been landscaped.

“We could attract tourists to come here. The mill is intriguing, since it was built without any metal or cement, any nails, just stone on stone. For that period, it’s a great construction. The original equipment is still in place and serves as museum exhibits,” said Alexander Maleandra, the owner of the water mill.

The EU Confidence Building Measures Programme contributes to building trust between the people on both banks of the Nistru river by involving them in joint development projects.

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Press release