New scandal in Romania: all new highway sections may have problems, drivers risk accidents

Members of an initiative group made of former and current employees of Romania’s National Highways Company CNADNR accuse the company of nepotism and unprofessionalism when it comes to managing highway projects. According to them, all the new highway sections built in Romania in recent years have problems and might end up like the third segment of the Orastie-Sibiu highway which was closed down in September 2015, just ten months after the inauguration, due to large cracks in the road. Some of the new highway segments that might have problems are Arad – Nadlac, Timisoara – Arad, and Bucharest – Ploiesti, reports local News.ro. The accusations haven’t stopped there, however. The initiative’s members also said that the now famous segment of the Orastie – Sibiu freeway, nicknamed “the sunken highway”, could have been consolidated. Thus, its demolition wasn’t necessary. CNADNR will launch a public tender for a technical expertise on the work performed on this segment. Moreover, Mihai Basulescu, the former general manager of CNADNR, said that drivers risk having accidents on Romania’s highways at any time, as the roads are full of holes and have significant problems, reports local Agerpres. Representatives of the initiative group demanded the resignation of Transport Minister Dan Costescu, State Secretary Marcel Bolos, and CNADNR general manager Catalin Homor for the disastrous situation of the sector. Report: Romania’s Orastie-Sibiu highway had cracks before inauguration. Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com