Gov't to order to start of works on Craiova-Pitesti expressway

Prime Minister Ludovic Orban said on Wednesday that an order for the works to be started on the Craiova-Pitesti expressway will be given, adding that the expressway is an investment that has been untouched since 2008. 

"After the pathetic mise-en-scčne when they [the Social Democratic Party] claimed to have started the works, without having the design done, without having ordered the commencement of works, without having the expropriation done (...), you can realise how much this PSD can play pretend. But we are dealing with this project, the Craiova-Pitesti expressway, as it is a commitment made by the Romanian Government in 2008, when I was the transport minister and I countersigned it in the negotiations with Ford," Orban told Digi24 private broadcaster. 

He added that it is a commitment made by the government of Romania and the order to start the works will "certainly" be given. 

"Because Ford demanded, as it has a very large production of cars, they needed to transport those cars, they asked for this expressway on the pan-European corridor IV. And we committed ourselves to doing that. We have done the feasibility study, I approved the technical-economic indicators, I think it lasted a year. I prepared the tender documentation but between 2008 and 2019 almost nothing was done. But now we will definitely give the order to start the works (...)" Orban said.