Public-private partnership in infrastructure development in Romania

The Romanian Government has announced a number of strategic projects due to start shortly.

Roxana Vasile, 23.05.2018, 13:40

Despite daily political scandals involving the countrys president Klaus Iohannis supported by the right wing opposition, on the one hand, and the ruling coalition formed by the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats on the other, in Bucharest the Government carries on, minding its business. At least this is what the deputy prime-minister Viorel Stefan stated on Tuesday, when he presented the strategic projects that are to be commenced shortly, based on the new legislation on public-private partnership.

Essentially, the government plans to build three motorways, to modernize 15 hospitals and to build a large medical compound. But lets see what the government means when talking about motorways. The first one will link the city of Ploiesti, in the south, to Brasov, in the centre. A second one will connect Targu Neamt and Iasi to Ungheni, in the Republic of Moldova, while in the south a third one will make the connection between Bucharest, Craiova, Drobeta Turnu Severin and Lugoj.

Viorel Stefan stated that the 100 km long eastern motorway will also include a bridge over Prut River, which will connect it with the road infrastructure in the neighboring Republic of Moldova. The one in the south is aimed to help develop tourism, mainly because it will be connected to the section that exists already in the south, known as the ‘Sun Motorway, which links the capital city to the Black Sea Coast.

Viorel Stefan: “The South Motorway, 550 km long, is an important project for many investors, who have already invested quite heavily in the area, more specifically in Craiova and the surroundings. Lets not forget that this motorway will help increase the tourist potential in the Danube Gorges. Moreover, it will secure the link with Serbia, Bulgaria and the 4th Pan-European Corridor in Lugoj.

The government also plans to modernize 15 hospitals owned by the Romanian Freight Company and managed by the Transport Ministry and to build the Carol Davila healthcare compound, on some 300 hectares in Bucharest. The compound will include the Republican Hospital, with a capacity of 3,000 beds and 37 operating theatres. Also, a Medical School and student dorms will be built, as well as residential and shopping facilities for the staff, parking lots and a hotel for those who accompany the patients.

All the projects presented on Tuesday and dubbed ‘strategic will require substantial expenses, of 15 to 20 billion Euros. The works are to start next year, and scheduled to complete in five years for the motorways, three years for the Republican Hospital and seven years for the Carol Davila compound. The Government, the deputy prime-minister Viorel Stefan also said, is determined to make up for the decade-long delays in the building of the countrys infrastructure.

(translated by: Mihaela Ignatescu)