The 2026 budget of the Ministry of Transportation is modest in size, with additional funds being needed at the budget revision this summer to cover ongoing and new projects, Transport Minister Ciprian Erban said on Tuesday, at the end of hearings in Parliament.

He said that by the end of 2026, about 250-255 kilometres of highways and expressways could be completed in the country.

'The budget of the Ministry of Transport is modest in size. I can't say that it's a good budget, because we needed more money. While we initially started from a proposed amount of RON 36 billion, we reached RON 42.014 billion, to which we add another RON 1 billion. This year we estimate RON billion lei for SAFE program projects, advance money . We are looking forward to the revision this summer to be able to complete the necessary amounts to cover all the projects we have in progress or the new projects that we are going to finance,' the minister said.

Asked about the modernisation of the Bucharest North Station, he said that there is currently an ongoing control and cannot provide additional details.

'A control by the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) is underway at the North Station. I wouldn't want to pronounce there, we let the competent bodies do their job, then we see what happens. There are many discussions regarding the updating of prices.'

Regarding the road infrastructure, the minister mentioned that, following discussions with builders, especially with UMB, the estimates show that by the end of the year approximately 250-255 kilometres of highway and expressways will be completed.

'At the end of this year, after our discussions with our largest builder, and I mean am referring to UMB, we estimate somewhere around 250-255 km of highway and completed expressways,' said the minister when asked how many new kilometres of highway Romania could have at the end of this year.

As for the A7 Motorway, the official said that the section to Pascani would be completed by the end of August, but there are some specific difficulties.

'On the A7, after our discussion with the builder, we close at the end of August the entire section up to Pascani. We shouldn't have any problems. Indeed, at Margina - Holdea, at that tunnel, we still have some problems with the safety systems within the tunnel. We hope to complete it there by the end of August.'

He added that there is no risk of losing funds, as some amounts are from loans and not from grants.

'No money is lost, as everyone says. We do not access an amount that was given to us as a loan. We will have to find another source for a small portion that, let's assume, will not be completed.'

The budget of the Ministry of Transport for 2026, amounting to RON 42.014 billion lei in budget appropriations and RON 108.21 billion lei in commitment appropriations, was approved on Tuesday as is by Parliament's budget and finance committees, with 39 to 12. AGERPRES (RO - editing by: Nicoleta Banciulea; EN - writing by: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu)