Romanian president: Winner of CFR Marfa looking for money to pay for the company, slim chance of money for modernization

Relationship continues to get tense between the Romanian president and the Prime Minister. Romanian president Traian Basescu (in picture) recently said the winner in the privatization of state – owned company CFR Marfa does not have the money to pay for the company ans is currently trying to borrow them from banks. He added this was not a political game, but that prime Minister Victor Ponta needs to keep political responsibility for the privatization. Grup Feroviar Roman, GFR, pledged to pay EUR 202 million for a 51 percent stake in CFR Marfa. The winner also promised to make some EUR 204 million further investments in the company, and the country's president expressed doubts the winner will have the money to modernize the state company if he has trouble finding the money to pay for it in the first place. In response, the Prime Minister Victor Ponta said nothing is wrong with the privatization of CFR Marfa based on the data so far, and asked the president to 'mind his own business'. “I would not be surprised however, in Basescu's well established tradition, to see that the firm or its owner gets a criminal file, because those who upset Basescu usually get criminal files,” said Ponta in response. editor@romania-insider.com (photo source: presidency.ro)