„Road Mafia” Barred Quality Road Construction So Far – Rompetrol CEO

The new provisions, which allow the use of polymer-modified bitumen for road construction as of 2008, represent "the renewal of older laws", whose enforcement was impeded by "the road mafia", Patriciu said.

"This is simply a reaction of the road mafia, which has every interest to keep Romania from using quality products. This mafia is formed by those who fix roads, are paid from public money and would remain jobless if we had quality roads," Patriciu said.

Dutch-registered Rompetrol Group NV, Romania’s second largest oil company, controlled by Patriciu, recently started producing polymer bitumen in its Vega Ploiesti refinery.

Patriciu added Rompetrol expected a confrontation with those who fix roads.

Asked who exactly is part of this “mafia”, Patriciu refused to give names, but said it is the case of “those who buy luxury cars for their kids with money from repeated asphalting of the same roads with poor quality materials."

Patriciu also said the use of this product is more important for road users than for Rompetrol. He added polymer bitumen is used throughout Europe, is of high quality, resistant and saves some 30% in maintenance and repair costs.

Liberal-democrat Valeriu Stoica urged for the resignation of transports minister Ludovic Orban after the decision for the use of polymer-modified bitumen, saying it favors Rompetrol and its liberal owner, Patriciu.