Transport infrastructure in Romania is in dire need for fast and far-reaching measures
"Romania wants highways". Under this slogan Romanians were called to protest on March 15, for 15 minutes at 15:00 against the authorities' lack of initiative and disinterest in building new highways. The protest was called by a businessman from Suceava, Stefan Mandachi, who earlier this month hired a firm to build one meter of highway, the first and only segment of highway in Romania's poorest region, Moldavia, in the northeast. His invitation was answered by simple citizens, business people, county councilors and mayors, pastry shops, haberdasheries, schools, associations, syndicates and NGOs.
"We need highways to deliver our goods faster. Our car fleet is deteriorating fast on bad roads and maintenance costs are going up. Crossing the country takes a huge amount of time, which in turn increases the costs of our products, simply because our personnel costs are much higher. Accident risks are higher on bad roads crossing multiple towns and villages, and Moldavia has been neglected in terms of road infrastructure", a message in support of the protest movement reads.
Road infrastructure is left wanting not just in Moldavia, but everywhere else in the country. At the end of 2018, nearly three decades after the demise of communism and more than ten years since the country joined the European Union, Romania had only 800 kilometers of highway, of which 700 were built by dictator Nicolae Ceausescu before 1989. Transport Minister Razvan Cuc says he can relate to the Romanians who joined the protest as, he admits, their patience is wearing thin. The protest will only incite us to speed up our projects, modify the legislation and simplify procedures, says Minister Cuc, who believes the current state of affairs is owed not just to the indolence of successive Governments, but also to bureaucracy.
Rail infrastructure doesn't fare any better. People say traveling by train in Romania is like seeing on repeat the saddest film ever made. Delays are routine, speed limits are embarrassingly low for the age of speed we are living in, and the cars remind of World War II wagons. Many modernization works subside after a few years and need redoing. Under these circumstances, Minister Razvan Cuc has promised that the budget for this year provides for enough funds to maintain the rail network and cars.
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