Bechtel To Build Other 42 Km Of Transylvania Highway In 2010- Romania’s Transport Min

Romania’s Transport Minister Radu Berceanu said Wednesday that Bechtel, the U.S. constructor of the Transylvania highway, “can build other 42 kilometers next year” although the budget for 2010 has not been established yet.

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Berceanu was not able to say how much money Bechtel received in 2009 for the work done.

"Next year (Bechtel, e.n.) can build other 42 kilometers of highway. In 2010 we will receive as much money as the Parliament wants, while for this year I do not have the precise sums, but they were published in the Official Journal and you can see them on the internet," Berceanu told a news conference.

Of the 42 highway kilometers, 30 kilometers will represent a part of the Suplacu de Barcau-Mihailesti route, and 12 kilometers a part of the Campia Turzii- Gilau route.

Berceanu avoided a straight answer when asked if the 42 kilometers of the Campia Turzii- Gilau route, which must be completed this year, will be ready for use on December 1.

"You will see. I have a surprise for you. Why won't you let me make you a surprise during winter holidays?" Berceanu said.

Romania's Transport Ministry decided in February to pay EUR420 million this year to U.S. constructor Bechtel for works on Transylvania Highway, based on a protocol the two parties concluded, Berceanu said back then.

Until the end of the year, Bechtel has to finish the construction of 42 kilometers of highway and a viaduct.

The construction of Transylvania Higghway, linking the central Romanian city of Brasov to Bors, on the western border with Hungary, started in 2004 based on a EUR2.2 billion contract attributed to Bechtel. Works were halted mid-2005, when authorities started looking into contracts concluded under the previous government. The deadline for the completion of works was extended until 2013 from the initial 2012.

Berceanu Wednesday verified the unfolding of the program of developing airport infrastructure on the Otopeni International Airport near capital city Bucharest.

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