The government has stated that it has no money forinfrastructure investments in 2010 because this would increase thebudget deficit, but the authorities actually failed to get foreignfunding because they did not file the projects in due time.
The National Motorway and National Road Company (CNADNR) at theend of last year failed to get the $225m funding the World Bank hadallotted for investments in road and rail infrastructuremodernisation. Part of this money was due to be earmarked toco-fund five orbital motorway projects for Bacau, Brasov,Targu-Mures, Reghin and Medias cities, with a total length of 85km. Meanwhile, not even the tender for the start of constructionworks was organised. The only city that registered progress withoutWB funding is Brasov, where two sections of the future orbitalmotorway have been already built with money from the local budget,the Transport Ministry and the EU.
"Let the CNADNR say why WB funding for this project was notobtained. The Transport Ministry shelved the project for four yearsand now it lacks sufficient documentation. Technical elements havebeen approved, but I do not really see any chance for this projectto start in 2010," Dragos Benea, chairman of the Bacau CountyCouncil, told ZF.
According to Benea, the beltway would cut traffic by 40% throughBacau. "At present, the traffic is highly congested at peak hours,as all traffic to Moldova goes through this city and this alsomakes it a highly polluted city".
Contacted by ZF, World Bank representatives stated the loanexpired on 31 December 2009 after having been extended by 5 monthsfrom the initial date, and it can no longer be extended.
The funding was approved as early as 2006, in the wake of anagreement signed with CNADNR in 2004. Half of the amount wasdestined to road infrastructure projects, 45% for the railway and5% for local administrations. The $153m co-financing from the statebudget is added to this value. According to the latest information,Romania managed to attract just 20% of this money until the loanexpired.
