Bechtel: We need about 300 million euros this year to resume works on Transilvania motorway

American company Bechtel plans to continue building Transilvania motorway if the necessary funds will be made available, Bechtel communication manager Bogdan Sgarcitu told HotNews.ro. According to him, the main impediment is the Romanian 2010 state budget, which did not insure that funds will be made available to resume the construction of the highway. For the 10 km from section 2B, between Turda and Campia Turzii, around 100 million euros will be necessary, while for the section 3C, namely 40 km between Suplacu de Barcau and Bors, the construction requires nearly 200 million euros. The works on section 2B are very likely to be carried out, but section 3C remains unaddressed.

„In the current conditions, works will resume on the 10 km between Turda and Campia Turzii, obviously in a limited rhythm due to weather conditions. (…).I don’t know what is going to happen for section 3C”, Sgarcitu said. The 2B section works will resume in the hope that funds will be found eventually. According to him, the budget rectification might offer a solution. Another solution for funding would be a credit guaranteed by the state, but the Romanian Finance Ministry excluded it on account that it would affect the budget deficit, Bechtel’s spokesperson indicated.

„Both the PM and the other ministers, including Bechtel, are looking for finance solutions. We have talks with foreign banks”, Sgarcitu added. In the days to come, the company will discuss with the unions and will announce how many workers will keep their jobs. Bechtel representatives have met with union members on Monday, February 8, during the Social Dialogue Commission. The negotiations between the American company and the unions are on for the week.

Bechtel announced last week that it intended to reduce works at the Transilvania motorway and was considering collective redundancies because it has not received the money that the Romanian National Company for Highways and National Roads (CNADNR) owed them. In the meantime, CNADNR said that the sum they owe, namely 214 million euros, will be paid in instalments until April. Dorina Tiron, CNADNR general manager, told HotNews.ro that the money included in Romania’s 2010 state budget for the construction of the motorway are only sufficient to pay up last year’s debt. As for financing solutions, state authorities proposed a public-private partnership.

On December 1 2010, Bechtel cut the red tape of Transylvania motorway’s first 42 kilometres, on the Turda-Gilau sector 2B. On the 2010 agenda, the plan is to conclude the 10 kilometres between Turda and Campia Turzii and half of the 3C section Suplacu de Barcau-Bors. The Transilvania Motorway project between Brasov – Bors began in 2004, after the Romanian state gave a 2.2 billion euros contract to Bechtel without auctioning. The motorway has four strips and 415 km.