Ludovic Orban: In terms of European funds absorption we have next to nothig to show

The chairman of PNL (National Liberal Party) Ludovic Orban declared on Wednesday that the Government has next to nothing to show in terms of attracting European funds, saying that in the last five years there haven't been any infrastructure project financed from European funds, according to Agerpres.

"In matter of European funds absorption we have next to nothing to show. We are in the fifth year, for example, and on the Large Infrastructure Operational Programme (POIM), on the transport infrastructure area, we haven't started any new investment projects in five years. It has to do with stupidity, but also incompetence and I believe that there is ill-will as well. I think it is ill-will. Look at the arguments going on between Corina Cretu and Romania's Government, given that Corina Cretu is a commissioner put there by PSD [Social Democratic Party, ed.n.], not by us. And Corina Cretu says: you can finance the Iasi-Targu Mures motorway with European funds. And the Government, instead of using European funds which it does not even have the capacity to spend from this large infrastructure programme, says that they will do this with PPP [Public-Private Partnership, ed.n]. It's just mind boggling. You cannot make a public-private partnership contract without making a procedure of competitive selection, there's no way, no where in this world does this exist," Orban said, at private TV broadcaster B1 TV.

He showed that in a public-private partnership the investor needs to recover his financing, otherwise he will enforce a motorway toll.

"Let them say that if you have a public-private partnership contract you will introduce a motorway toll, because where else would they recover their money from? In a public-private partnership, the contractor brings his own financing money, and after that, in order to recover his financing, he needs to have some revenues, that he cashes in while he manages the motorway section that he built," the PNL leader said.

Orban also reminded of the Sibiu - Pitesti section, which "has come to a standstill".

"The Sibiu-Pitesti motorway section has come to a standstill ever since they came into power, ever since the time of the Ponta Government. They are not able to kick off this investment project, which is vital, which actually ensures the connection between Constanta port and Europe, that could actually raise the profile of Constanta Port with all the opportunities that it holds. They went back to the feasibility study and to the technical-economic indicators that were carried out during my mandate as Minister of Transportation, namely 10 years ago," Orban declared.