The European Commission opened on Wednesday the infringement procedure against Romania, arguing that the 112 emergency system is unable to trace the call when a mobile phone is used to announce an emergency. Romania has two months after the opening of the infringement procedures to offer officials in Brussels a satisfactory answer, or will face trial in the European Court of Justice.

Meanwhile, the Special Telecomm Service (STS), operating the emergency line, claims it is out of funds to support the service and the Telecomm Regulation Authority waits for a law for 112.

"The problems with the 112 service are related mainly to funds. Starting in February, I could cut off the service, because there is no money to pay the salaries", said the STS general manger, Marcel Opris.

Launched in April 2005 with a 40 million euro expense, with Swedish company Ericsson as main equipment and software provider, the 112 service functions according to a law that enables the National Telecomm Regulation Authority (ANRCTI) to pay STS a fixed amount of money. Due to the RON / euro exchange rate evolution, STS sees an unbalance between income and dues.

ANRCTI president Dan Georgescu says his institution could pay the money demanded by STS (some 38 million RON), in case the law is changed accordingly.

Six EU states are already in front of the European Court of Justice for not making the 112 systme fully functional. The European Commission opened on Wednesday the infringement procedure against Romania, arguing that the 112 emergency system is unable to trace the call when a mobile phone is used to announce an emergency. Romania has two months after the opening of the infringement procedures to offer officials in Brussels a satisfactory answer, or will face trial in the European Court of Justice.

Meanwhile, the Special Telecomm Servi