EC grants EUR 45.7 mln for Internet in Romanian villages

The European Commission decided yesterday to grant EUR 45.7 million from the European Regional Development Fund to the RO-NET project in Romania, which began during the 2007-2013 period. A number of 783 villages in Romania should have broadband internet infrastructure following the RO-NET project. “With the introduction of broadband internet in rural areas there are more opportunities coming, as well as a higher quality of life for residents,” said the European Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Cretu. Communications Minister Delia Popescu recently said that the project would probably not be completed by the end of this year. The RO-NET project should have been completed in December 2015. The project is implemented by Telekom Romania, which won the bid in 2014. However, Telekom representatives complained that they had problems in getting all the necessary permits to carry out this project from the local authorities in some villages. The project’s total cost is some EUR 84 million. editor@romania-insider.com