The government has stated that it has no money for infrastructure investments in 2010 because this would increase the budget deficit, but the authorities actually failed to get foreign funding because they did not file the projects in due time.

The National Motorway and National Road Company (CNADNR) at the end of last year failed to get the $225m funding the World Bank had allotted for investments in road and rail infrastructure modernisation. Part of this money was due to be earmarked to co-fund five orbital motorway projects for Bacau, Brasov, Targu-Mures, Reghin and Medias cities, with a total length of 85 km. Meanwhile, not even the tender for the start of construction works was organised. The only city that registered progress without WB funding is Brasov, where two sections of the future orbital motorway have been already built with money from the local budget, the Transport Ministry and the EU.

"Let the CNADNR say why WB funding for this project was not obtained. The Transport Ministry shelved the project for four years and now it lacks sufficient documentation. Technical elements have been approved, but I do not really see any chance for this project to start in 2010," Dragos Benea, chairman of the Bacau County Council, told ZF.

According to Benea, the beltway would cut traffic by 40% through Bacau. "At present, the traffic is highly congested at peak hours, as all traffic to Moldova goes through this city and this also makes it a highly polluted city".

Contacted by ZF, World Bank representatives stated the loan expired on 31 December 2009 after having been extended by 5 months from the initial date, and it can no longer be extended.

The funding was approved as early as 2006, in the wake of an agreement signed with CNADNR in 2004. Half of the amount was destined to road infrastructure projects, 45% for the railway and 5% for loc