Romania’s Government draws new highways on the map, needs EUR 30 bln to build them

Romania needs about EUR 30 billion to build highways and express roads in the next 15 years, transport minister Ioan Rus said on Tuesday, January 13. He presented the Government’s priorities for the road infrastructure segment, for 2015-2016, as well as the updated road infrastructure investment plans for the 2014-2030 period. According to the document Rus presented, Romania should build 725 kilometers of highways, 184 kilometers of phased highway, and 1,809 kilometers of express roads. The estimated costs amount to EUR 28.6 billion, VAT included. Rus said that Romania will get EUR 6 billion from the European Union for road infrastructure and will be able to access loans from the European Investment Bank (EIB), from EBRD and from the World Bank. He also said that the special excise for diesel fuel, the road tax as well as public-private partnerships should generate another EUR 4 billion financing for these projects, according to Mediafax newswire. Prime Minister Victor Ponta said that a political consensus for a minimum of 10 years must be reached in order for these infrastructure plans to be realised. He added that without a document signed by the President and by the leaders of all political parties in Romania to support the Transport Master Plan and offer long-term guarantees, there’s no use for transport experts to start working on these projects, as they will not get the needed financing. Romania plans to open 250 kilometers of highways in the next two years, minister Ioan Rus said, according to Mediafax. The openings for this year are estimated at about 50 kilometers, with the longest segments to be opened in Western Romania. Romania currently has almost 700 kilometers of finished highways. editor@romania-insider.com