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Infrastructure in Romania – present stage
Romania has now 836 km of operational highways. In 2019 only 22.14 km, Lugoj-Deva lot 4, were commissioned, although transport minister Rovana Plumb promised at the beginning of 2019 that there would be 180 km of highway ready by the end of the year.
Later on, when Razvan Cuc returned at the head of the Ministry of Transports, the promise dropped to 100 km for 2019 and succeeded to open 22.14 km for lot 4 of Lugoj-Deva highway. Lot 3 of the same highway, of 21.3 km remained closed, although the Spanish constructor had completed 99% of it. CNAIR canceled the contract at end of August because it found66 deficiencies and the contractor refused to extend the warranty period from 4 to 10 years. In case this lot were commissioned, the highway distance completed this year would have been 43 km, far from the promises made by Razvan Cuc and Rovana Plumb.
In 2019, three new construction sited opened but there are also projects for which nothings has been done. The sites opened in 2019 include the 5.35 km long section 3C3 Biharia-Bors of Transylvania Highway. The contract was signed on December 20, 2018, designing began on January 18, 2019 and execution on April 13, 2019. On Biharia-Bors section the execution stage by mid October was 49.06%.
Only 138 km out of 606 km have been built from A3 Bucharest - Bors highway. Works are carried out on two sections, Ploiesti-Brasov on segment Rasnov – Cristian (6.3km) and Targu Mures – Gilau, on lot 2 Ogra-Campia Turzii (Iernut-Chetani) – 17.9 km, where the physical stage is 80.47% and for lot 3 Ogra- Campia Turzii (Chetanu-Campia Turzii) – 15.69 km.
From A10 Sebes-Turda, which should be 70 km long, only 28 km have been completed. Lots 1 (78.6% progress) and lot 2 (17km and 24 km) are under work.
As for Sibiu-Pitesti highway, after a tender launched in 2017, Sibiu- Boita section of 13 km was contracted in 2019, but works could not start, because the technical project had to be completed and the construction license issued. Minister Lucian Bode says that works for this section will begin in 2020. The Transport Ministry, approved on October 25, 2019 the financing application for the construction of Sibiu-Pitesti highway sections 1,4 and 5, made by CNAIR as end user of the grant allocated in the Large Infrastructure Operational Program (LIOP) 2014-2020 and sent the project to the European Commission. The entire project is 122.11 km long and is divided into 5 sections crossing three counties: Sibiu, Valcea and Arges.
A significant evolution was recorded by works for Bacau beltway, which started in March 2019 and has been completed 40%. The project is in fact the first section of the future highway on Corridor Ploiesti- Buzau – Focsani – Bacau – Suceava – Pascani.
According to transport minister Lucian Bode, Romania has now 134 km of highway and express ways in construction. Moreover, the Ministry of Transports, Infrastructure and Communications (MTIC) announced that it sent financing contracts of 160 million euros as part of Large Infrastructure Operational Program 2014-2020.
The major project for Bacau Beltway of 968.781 million lei of which 689.437 million lei are from EU contribution was sent to Brussels.
The financing contract for the railway project “Bridge and tunnel Rehabilitation Cuj county”of 62.534 million lei, of which 38.330 million lei to be financed by EU, was signed. 60 sites for maintenance works are now operational in the area of Timisoara Railway Branch.
Works are also carried out on Bucharest-Ploiesti section between Buftea and Peris to increase traffic speed to 140 km/h and the repair and consolidation of Constanta Bridge, works completed in a proportion of 32%.
Works for Gara de Nord – Otopeni railway started in 2019 but were contested in court.
The National Railway Company CFR SA has projects for upgrading 636 railway bridges financed by a grant as part of LIOP and of the European Interconnection Mechanism. Of them, 416bridges are included in projects for the modernization of railway infrastructure and superstructure on Rhine- Danube Corridor (northern branch) from the border to Sighisoara, where the passenger train speed will grow to 160 km/h.
However, 2019 came with a blow for the national railway company for goods transport, CFR Marfa. The European Commission decided that the state aid granted to CFR Marfa in 2013 was illegal and the state has to recover about 400 million euros. In 2013 the company received aid for privatization and its debts were wiped out but it was not privatized. CFR Marfa continued to make debts to infrastructure administrator CFR SA. Now, the authorities are looking for solutions to recover the money and save the company.
A financing contract was signed in the naval sector for the project “Development of Romania-Ukraine international border crossing point between Isaccea and Orilovka” of 6.89 million lei, of which 4.65 million from EU financing.
The ministry mentioned that by signing these financing contracts expenses of 160 million euros made until now can be recovered from European funds.