Hard to believe but true: in 2007 Romania, only one in seven people in rural areas has access to tap water and 13% of townspeople do not have such access, Romania's Environment minister Attila Korodi said on Monday while presenting the 2008 budget of his Ministry.

For 2008, the Environment Ministry gets 1.82 billion Romanian RON from the state budget, foreign credits and European funds, a 18% increase as compared to 2007. 752 million RON will be allocated for investments in water infrastructure.

The chapter reporting the highest budgetary increase refers to the fund transfers between public administration units as local public authorities will receive 112 million RON for investments in environment protection - up 78% as compared to 2007.