The Brasov-Bors highway, construction of which began this summer and which is due to be completed in eight years' time, will have attracted collateral investments of almost four billion euros by 2012, equivalent to the total costs of the project itself, according to estimates for the weekly BUSINESS Magazin by people involved in the project.

Collateral investments to "dress up" Brasov-Bors highway will go into hotels, petrol stations, farms, trade centres, plants, and industrial warehouses.

The 19 road crossings on the highway are the "winners of the draw". These are the areas where the highway intersects national or county roads and which will become the main focus of investments.

These areas will be at Ghimbav, Mandra, Netus, Danes, Highilag, Gheorghe Doja, Ungheni, Ludus, Campia Turzii, Turda, Ghiau, Nadaselu, Zimbor, Zalau, Nusfalau, Marghita, Salard and Biharia.

The reason the highway will attract these investments is the possibility for rapid transportation of freight, both to various regions of the country and abroad. Add to this the still low prices for land and labour and the investments become quite profitable.

Tens of foreign companies have begun to voice their interest in the land around the highway, and some have bought or are already in talks to buy or cede certain plots.

"We've had German, Austrian, US, Italian firms and even firms from Portugal and Luxembourg. Some were saying they planned to invest 50 million euros, others only 2-3 million. Everybody is approaching this market, searching for land. I believe that when the highway is finished collateral investments will exceed the investments linked to the highway," says Valentin Cuibus, Cluj county prefect.

Investments announced for along the highway include that by the Canadian company Celestic