Romania's Botoșani Express road stalls as A8 Iași‑Ungheni highway contract is signed

Senator Doina Federovici of the PSD in Botoșani says the only viable high‑speed road project for the county, the Botoșani‑Suceava Express, has been stalled for more than a year due to inaction by the County Council president. The feasibility study required by a contract signed in April 2024 was to be completed within 14 months but has not been received, preventing approval of technical‑economic indicators and the start of the project. Federovici submitted an interpellation to the Transport Minister demanding a schedule from CNAIR and warning that EU funding under the 2021‑2027 Transport Programme could be lost.

Meanwhile, interim Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan announced the signing of the execution contract for section 4 of the A8 Iași‑Ungheni motorway, a 15.5 km stretch plus a 5 km highway crossing the Prut River. The 3.57 billion‑lei investment, financed through the SAFE programme, includes 14 bridges, two tunnels and two road nodes, with a 10‑month design phase and 36‑month construction period, targeting completion by 2030. Bilateral agreements with Moldova were also signed, covering the new bridge and further infrastructure to improve connectivity between the two countries.