Major Bucharest infrastructure project remains blocked

Vineri, 20 februarie 2009, 1:56 English | Bucharest

The works at the suspended passage in the Basarab area in Bucharest, designed to bring some relief to the hellish traffic, can not continue for the moment. After the Court decided that the first project was illegally approved, the works affecting three historic buildings, Bucharest Mayor Sorin Oprescu issued a decision calling for Governmental support in unblocking the project. His decision failed to pass the City Council on Thursday, obtaining only 33 out of the 35 votes required.

The decision was opposed by the Social Democrat counselors and approved by Liberal and Democrat Liberals. Oprescu was a Social Democrat himself, but he resigned from the party in order to run as independent for the City Hall. On the other hand, the Social Democrats and the Democrat Liberals formed the Government after the last elections, Liberals now representing the Opposition.

In the decision he failed to pass on Thursday, Oprescu explains that penalties for the project blocking add up to 60 million Euros, while measures for the conservation of the already build segments add another 30 million Euros to the spending.