The European Commission (EC) has postponed a decision on whether to approve a request for 85% of the financing for a long-awaiting infrastructure project in Romania, the Sibiu - Pitești motorway. The project, if completed, would connect Southern Romania and the capital, Bucharest, to the western region of Transylvania and on to central and western Europe.
Morimus Funereus Photo: NDetti / Creative Commons Licence: CC BY-NC-SA
The EC’s decision was in light of, what it described as, “very vague” environmental protection objectives contained in the report on the environmental impact of the project, sent by the Romanian government to Brussels along with the request for financing.
The EC's concerns in particular relate to the impact the project would have on Morimus Funereus, a species of beetle living in the region where the highway would be built. Also known as the tailor beetle, Morimus Funereus is on a list of species of plants and animals which are of "community interest" and whose conservation requires the designation of special conservation areas.
A list of observations and further queries relating to environmental provisions has been sent from Brussels to Romania.
The Romanian government has two months to respond to the Commission, but the issue of Morimus Funereus is rapidly becoming a political football being kicked across Bucharest. The government under Prime Minister Ludovic Orban is beset by problems and before losing a vote of no-confidence yesterday, pointed to the document's authors.
The funding request was drafted by ANPM, the country's National Environmental Protection Agency. However, ANPM officials deny responsibility for the "very vague" aspects of the document, pointing to the National Agency for Natural Areas.
The Sibiu - Pitești motorway project has long been plagued by delays. The initial feasibility study for the project was conducted in 2008. Construction was initially due to begin in 2009 but was continually pushed back by the government. Ground was finally broken in 2012, but then the 2008 feasibility study needed updating with new key elements required by new European Union directives. Since then the project has been retendered several times due to route changes and issues over whether it was classified as an express road or a motorway.
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