“For each budget rectification (in 2014) there were investment amputations, which affected figures with which the sector concludes its activity. It is for the first time when the aggregate value drops under 9 billion Euros, the level of 8.9 billion Euros being the lowest reached after 2007. This unfortunately shows that political decision makers did not have the wisdom or courage, or reason to come with investment programmes should they should assume,” said Laurentiu Pleosceanu, the president of the Romanian Association of Construction Entrepreneurs (ARACO) at a press conference on Tuesday.

Association data show that the construction market dropped from 15.7 billion Euros to 9.33 billion Euros in the period of time 2007-2012, a slight increase being mentioned the following year up to 9.36 billion euros.

The factors which negatively influenced the performance of constructions in 2014 include political influence in allocating projects, the difficult recovering of debts by constructors, ups and downs in ensuring financing, the authorities’ incapacities to promote projects in public-private partnership and the serious decline of direct foreign investments.

 Ploesceanu says that in 2015 premises are more favourable than in 2014 and the market may recover to a plus of 9 billion Euros, in conditions in which the budget approved by the Parliament includes “considerable” amounts for investments, but points out that the authorities should assume the implementation of projects. (source: actmedia.eu)