ROMANIA AND HUNGARY TEAM-UP ASKING FOR MONEY FROM BRUSSELS

The authorities in Bucharest and Budapest plan to apply together for European funds to finance a pre-feasibility study for a high-speed rail- way linking the capital of Hungary to the Black Sea. The idea of the high-speed railway Budapest-Bucharest-Constantza has been launched since November 2007 during a joint meeting of the gov- ernments of the two states.

Although minister Ludovic Orban appreci- ated that the line would be inaugurated in 2015, and the Romanian railways predicted that the investment would be finalised in 2020, the cost of 8 billion put into question not only the deadline, but also the very start of the project.

 

Since there is little possibility to finance this rail project on their own, Romania and HungaryAustria too in the project of high-speed line, to have a greater chance to obtain EU funds. According to Attila Cseke, state secretary in the General Secretariat of Government, attracting Austria is crucial, as EU funds are allocated specifically for projects in which there are at least three EU Member States as partners. planned to attract