Romania pledges to create transport infrastructure for Ford

Romania's Government is currently searching for solutions to develop the road, railway and water transport infrastructure to help the ford factory in Craiova, the authorities announced. Prime Minister Victor Ponta met the Ford Europe VP Wolfgang Schneider and the president of Ford Europe, Jan Gijsen on Monday (July 16 ) to talk about ways to develop infrastructure for the Ford factory in Romania.

The main ongoing projects aim to finalize the Craiova bypass and develop the road connection Craiova – Pitesti. Two months ago, the former Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu, who was in power when the Ford privatization contract was signed, said that Ford could be a 'memory' if the authorities penalize the company, but don't comply with their own obligations, meaning creating the transport infrastructure. Craiova city hall had pledged to create an express road that would connect Craiova to the 4th Pan-European Corridor. Ford took over Automobile Craiova from the Romanian state in 2007 under the obligation to invest in technology and environmental protection to the tune of EUR 675 million by March 2012 and manufacture some 250,000 units a year. The car maker agreed with the Romanian state to manufacture fewer cars, pay penalties and give up on state aid for employee training. Ford is one of the two main car makers with production units in Romania, together with French Renault, which owns the Dacia factory in the country. editor@romania-insider.com (photo source: Ford)