Romania PM Pushes For High Speed Rail Line On Paris-Budapest-Constanta Route

Boc stressed Thursday, during the Summit of Danubian countries, that the Danube Strategy translates into a great opportunity to spot and propose several trans-border projects to be carried out jointly by Danubian countries.

Boc also said investment projects must not be drafted just for the sake of drafting projects, but, the best and most efficient projects must be set in motion quickly to the benefit of citizens.

According to Boc, extending the high speed rail line, which links France’s Paris, the „heart of Europe,” towards Southern and Eastern Europe, can become one of the biggest and most important projects of the Danube Strategy.

„I am speaking about the high speed rail line Paris-Strasbourg-Bratislava, which must be extended towards Budapest-Bucharest-Constanta, as an element of the program regarding the European transport network,” said Boc.

In November 2007, the Romanian and Hungarian governments agreed to work together on a high speed rail line on the route Budapest -Bucharest-Constanta, meant to extend the route Paris-Strasburg-Stuttgart-Vienna-Bratislava-Budapest.

Romanian government officials said at the time that construction works were due in 2015 and that financing is the main problem, with costs estimated at a few billion euros.

Romanian authorities said in the autumn of 2008 that Romania and Hungary plan to apply for European Union funds, while relying on Austria’s help, which were to be spent on the prefeasibility study needed for the project.

During February 24-25, Boc attends two reunions of prime ministers held in Budapest, targeting topics like Danube and energy.