EUR 81 M have been spent from 2006 until now on a highway that should have connected Bucharest to central Romania, a highway that for the time being has remained only a project on paper, ‘Jurnalul National’ writes. The National Highways and Roads Company (CNADNR) earmarked toward various consultancy and construction companies funds for the revision of technical projects, for consultancy and assistance. Since 2006 EUR 5.1 M were paid only for the paperwork on the Bucharest-Brasov section. Additional acts subsequently hiked the price of the Bucharest-Ploiesti section, the changes brought costing approximately EUR 76 M. The concession contract for the Comarnic-Brasov section will expire in 2010 even before it comes into force. The contract should have been offered this year to the Vinci and Aktor association that was on the Ministry of Transport’s liking. The Romanian state was due to lease a highway for 25 years at an estimated traffic of 60,000 cars per day, something that would have led to a profit of EUR 180 M per year. Meanwhile however the French side of the association gave up on its contract with Aktor and the tender has to be resumed again, with the construction works remaining frozen.
