Romania has succeeded, in collaboration with private companies, in developing important energy projects, interim president Ilie Bolojan said on Tuesday, during the segment dedicated to heads of state and government at the Three Seas Initiative Business Forum, organized at the Royal Castle in Warsaw.
In this regard, he recalled that the plan to build Cernavoda NPP (Nuclear Power Plant) Units 3 and 4 is making important steps forward, while in the field of natural gas exploitation in the Black Sea, the strategic project ‘Neptun Deep’ is continuing, being essential for regional energy security, with an estimated start of production in 2027.
„It is essential to develop energy corridors on as many coordinates as possible and to increase our energy security, and in terms of the gas transportation corridors at regional level, for Romania to capitalize on its strategic position,” Bolojan said.
The interim president emphasized that the Iasi-Chisinau gas pipeline and the other projects under development to ensure the energy security of the Republic of Moldova allow its supply with electricity and natural gas largely from Romania.
The north-south transportation corridors remain „insufficiently developed”, Bolojan noted, highlighting that the road and rail infrastructure projects Via Carpathia and Rail-2-Sea remain a priority for Romania.
The president said that, apart from the motorway sections already completed, „the entire Via Carpathia project on Romanian territory is in the contracting phase of works, on a length of almost 200 kilometers”.
Ilie Bolojan also stated that „Constanta, the largest port on the Black Sea, confirms its strategic position as an important node of the International Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia”. Thus, he said, in the context of the war in Ukraine and Romania’s accession to the Schengen area, the importance of the Romanian port continues to grow.
At the same time, he recalled that Romania and the Republic of Moldova have projects for new road bridges across the Prut, and construction of a new bridge in Ungheni is starting these days.
„As far as Ukraine is concerned, we are considering opening new border crossing points and increasing the transit capacity of the existing ones,” he added.
The interim President also referred to the current security challenges.
„We are going through a complicated period in which new realities are affecting our countries and the economic landscape is constantly reshaping, something that forces us to adapt continuously. The decisions and measures we take at this stage will determine not only the future of the Three Seas Initiative, but also the future of Europe. The reconfiguration of political and economic forces at global level requires the strengthening of partnerships with all countries interested in the stability and prosperity of our region,” Bolojan added.
In these circumstances, he showed, the Three Seas Initiative „acquires a greater relevance”.
„Connectivity is its essence and the potential of our region is immense. Romania, with its geographical position and economic capacity, plays an important role in this equation,” the interim president added.
In this regard, he said Romania can make a „significant contribution” in the IT sector.
„It is vital to understand that the success of this initiative depends on our ability to capitalize on the capital of private companies. The state cannot and should not be the only development engine. Private companies bring not only financial resources, but also innovation and efficiency,” concluded the interim president.
AGERPRES
