What the newspapers say: May 21, 2009

The state spent 22 million euro for a feasibility study aimed at modernizing the railway’s electricity system for a region where there is not electricity infrastructure and trains run on diesel, one newspaper reads on Thursday. Elsewhere in the news, Romanians prefer to go to Bulgaria for cheaper food and better quality. Last but not least, meteorologists announce high temperatures for this summer in Bucharest.

Gandul reads about some 22 million euro wasted on a feasibility study contracted in an attempt to improve the railway’s electric system. The main problem, the newspaper reads is that the feasibility study was conducted for an area where there is no electrical infrastructure.

The Italian company, Italferr was paid by the Romanian Transports ministry with 22 million euro for the feasibility study. The mistake was discovered in Brussels and the document, sent back in Bucharest.

The objective of the study was to identify solutions so that trains would improve their speed. However, the is no electrical system in the area because the railway on the route studied, from Craiova to Calafat, South Romania was never electrified. Authorities do not seem to have any plan to do it either.

The study was sent to Brussels in order to receive European financing. However, sources from the Transports ministry declared that luckily, the document reached some Romanians working in Brussels who were able to spot the mistake. Otherwise, Romania could have been accused of fraud.

Romania Libera reads about some hundreds of people preferring to cross the border to Bulgaria every weekend for cheap shopping and even food. The newspaper reads that, in weekends, Bulgarian towns nearby the border are full of Romanians who are willing to try something else than the usual Romanian places by the seaside.

Plus, the paper reads that Bulgarians are offering competitive prices and very good quality on services. Unlike services in Romania, Bulgarian waiters know how to treat their customers. One of the towns preferred by Romanians is Balcic, two hours away from Constanta, South East Romania.

The newspaper reads that services are cheap in Bulgaria compared to the high prices practices by the Romanian seaside.

Last but not least, Cotidianul reads about the high temperatures that will hit Bucharest this summer. June, July and August will register temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius across the country as well.

The newspaper reads that the draft will most surely affect Romania’s agriculture which will also affect the state’s budget. At the time, there are no optimistic forecasts in agriculture, since, already, there are affected areas.

Romanian Agriculture minister Ilie Sarbu declared that at the time, some 1.1 million acres of agricultural terrain is affected by draft. Meteorologists announced that for 10 to 15 days in July and August temperatures will register 40 degrees Celsius and that the normal temperatures will reach 35 degrees Celsius most of the time.