Today, we mark oficially the start of works at 65 kilometers of motorway. We refer to Nadlac – Arad, component 1 of Timisoara – Lgoj, and we will go at Orastie – Sibiu. 65 kilometers of highway inaugurated. The value is 350 million EUR, without VAT, 450 million EUR with VAT. It is a proof of the fact that the Executive and the Transport Ministry are good at deeds, and less at words. It is a proof of the fact that we have to do with a Government and a Ministry of deeds, not of words, in the field of infrastructure.
Also, this year, until the end, we will have 123 kilometers of motorway. Today, 90 km are inaugurated, and with the 32 kilometers from Arad to Timisoara, we will have 123 kilometers in circulation until the end of the year. These things cannot be contested by anyone, they can be seen in the field, and consequently, it is a proof of the pragmatism of the Transport Ministry, of its capacity to bring European funds in Romania. Whay are these works important? First, for you, for the area.
As I said, Timis and Arad gather the most important European and budget resources in the field of infrastructure in Romania, at present. Hence, it is important for the economy of the area, the traffic, less accidents, better roads and connection with Occident. Secondly, for the Romanian economy, year 2012 depends in terms of economic growth, significantly, on the implementation of European funds. The aim of the Government is to overrun the 20 percent in the absorption of European funds in 2012. I refer here already to percent, regarding the money already returned from the European Union, not only money paid by Romania, and bills sent to the Europan Union with a view to reimbursement – economic growth is questioned and negatively affected in the entire European Union. Romania, through the European funds, may have a chance to improve this fall in the conomic growth forecast as there is currently in the majority of EU states. Last but not least, I praise the prgamatism of the Ministry who talks less and does more.
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PM Emil Boc
The Executive I am leading is the only one which, in the end, opens the way to these infrastructure projects. The fact that already, in two year time, we circulate by 90 kilometers per motorway (52- Transylvania, 17 - Sibiu, 21- to seaside), there are kilometers in motorway regime, - 20 kilometers from Voluntari to Bucharest – a part of Timisoara beltway of 30 kilometers, 15 kilometers from Ploiesti beltway, in motorway regime, these cannot be contested. These are deeds.
If former Government had done at least the same amount of kilometers, we would have had other traffic. You may compare: in four year mandate, 2004 -2008, there were built 5 kilometers of motorway, and in two-year mandate (of Boc Cabinet) – 90 kilometers of motorway in operation, 120 kilometers until the end of this year, there are these works that were inaugurated, 120 km by the end of this year, there are those works that have left the road and in 2013, they will be ready. We recovered a part of past delays. I stress again that, in 2008, when I came to power in December, OP - sectoral on transports, which was to bring European money was not accredited. So, we were at two years after Romania's EU integration - we lost 2007, and 2008 - and transport program was not even accredited.
Therefore, we appreciated the effort made by Minister Boagiu, to recover these delays and to try to catch up with the European schedule with spending money. And in an ultra effort from now on, we hope to remain on the schedule of absorption of these European funds on the transport component.
Reporter: Beltway built in Timisoara has not a highway regime.
PM Emil Boc: I said that they are expressways or under the highway regime. The 90 km of highway are: 52 - Transylvania highway, 17 km from Sibiu beltway, under the motorway regime, as part of this corridor, and 21 km highway to the sea). These kilometers cannot be contested. We add the 32, Arad-Timisoara, which I hope to be ready by December, and then we will have 123 kilometers of highway.
Reporter / ... /?
PM Emil Boc:
We found out this morning. I will expect a briefing to see if it is a punctual issue, or of other matter. We cannot do anything but obey the law, because there is since 2009, when the PSD was in power, a law regulating the organization of this census, a matter absolutely mandatory, legal, European and which must be completed. We will see if there are problems along the way, we will solve them, but the census must be done, because it is an obligation of Romania within the European Union.
Reporter: I understand that many of those reviewers who withdrew were unemployed. Did they withdraw because they had to give up the right to receive unemployment benefits if participating in the census?
PM Emil Boc: Again, I will ask for additional information. I saw this information, if this matter can be resolved quickly, we will resolve it within the legal framework.
Reporter / ... /?
PM Emil Boc: Yes. The census will take place under the law because it is an obligation of Romania in the European Union.
Reporter: Are you satisfied with the works?
PM Emil Boc:
We are on the schedule signed by the Ministry. For both, we have seen an advance easily, on the schedule set to the end of the year. We will ensure that each time, this graph will be respected, so that in 2013, all of these sections now starting to be completed. So to be honest, I am more satisfied today than compared to 2-3 weeks ago, also on this sector and I am glad that there is a Romanian company that works well.