EIB lends Romania 53.5 mln Euros for water supply infrastructure

The European Investment Bank (EIB) granted the Romanian Government 29.5 million Euros for investments aimed at improving the water supply services in small and medium towns in six counties: Arad, Harghita, Mures, Prahova, and Suceava.EIB is also lending Romania 25 million Euros for the construction of the first phase of a new wastewater treatment plant to be built in Bucharest.

Romania is to become a shareholder of the European Investment Bank on January 1, 2007, provided it becomes a full-rights member of the European Union in due time. This status entails that Romania would take part to the decision making process regarding the EIB projects, the bank’s president Philippe said when meeting Romanian PM Calin Popescu Tariceanu on Monday.

Tariceanu announced that Romania and EIB will sign an accord on long term aimed at supporting the co-financing for public infrastructure projects. The top priority domains to be financed are the environment protection, transportation, energy and gas, irrigations, and telecommunications.

In 1991-2006 EIB granted Romania 4.3 billion Euros for over 40 projects aimed at infrastructure and public services development.

Philippe Maystadt ensures that the most efficient formula for EU funds is to be supplemented with EIB finances. EIB will invest in environment improvement, health and education, research and development.

In 2005, the total EIB lending reached 1 billion Euros, and was destined to transportation, urban infrastructure in small and middle size towns.