Despite the assurances that Dancila government is concerned and intensely working on the road infrastructure projects, at the budget amendment the Transport Ministry has cut the amount allocated to major investments in 2018 or not allocated any penny to projects that are on standby because of the money.
According to an official response to a parliamentary question that USR deputy Catalin Drula addressed to the Transport Ministry, the institution headed by Minister Lucian Sova sent a status of transfers and redistributions of budget appropriations operated at the budget amendment, which showed a reduction of RON 188 million (EUR 41.5 million) in the funds planned for projects related to the 2014-2020 programming period.
In what projects cuts have been applied
The most significant fund cuts in road infrastructure projects are:
- Transilvania Highway (Campia Turzii-Ogra) – RON 69 million
- Satu Mare ring Road – RON 41 million
- Bucharest ring Road Modernization (DNCB) -RON 28 million
- Modernization of DN 73 Pitesti-Brasov – RON 21 million
- Lugoj-Deva Highway, Dumbrava-Deva segment – RON 13 million
- Sebes-Turda Highway –RON 10 million
No additional funds (initial allocations are insufficient to complete these projects) have been allocated to:
- Sacuieni bypass
- Jiu bypass
- Beius Stei bypass
- Technical documentation for Vaslui bypass
- Bacau bypass
- Timisoara bypass
- Construction of Bucharest ring road
According to the status presented by the ministry, funds have also been cut from the repair and modernization works in some railway lines (- RON 1.4 million), SFs for repairs in bridges, culverts and railway tunnels (- RON 1 million). Funds cut also included the revision of the SF for Bucharest-Henri Coanda railway line: – RON 311 thousand.
Reductions have also been made in the modernization works for the port infrastructure which is to ensure the increase of the fairways’ depth and the safety of navigation in Constanta Port, – RON 7 million, and in Dana 80 project for implementing a specialized berth in an area with large depths: – RON 1 million.
Austerity does not affect the employees of the ministry: RON 8 million has been allocated at the budget amendment to ensure the necessary logistics and travel expenses for the Intermediate Body for Transport, for the management of the Operational Program for Large Infrastructure (POIM).
