“It is important to emphasize that this program also finances dual-use infrastructure, and we are talking about the two ends of the highways, Pascani-Siret and Pascani-Ungheni, which will be financed through this mechanism. 4.2 billion euros have been allocated for this. These infrastructures are extremely important not only for the development of the region, but also for military mobility,” Zhurca said at a press conference.
He also noted that the SAFE program was created to “strengthen the eastern flank.” “The program was designed to strengthen European industry, including Romanian industry, and to ensure that we are much more prepared on the entire eastern flank, as well as on the level of the whole of Europe.”
Bogdan Despescu, State Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, emphasized that the infrastructure and capabilities created will also be used in peacetime, in day-to-day operations.
“The contribution of the Interior Ministry is structured in areas that support both internal security and the protection of the population. Among the projects we are proposing, we are talking about personnel protection in high-risk missions, weapons and infantry ammunition for all units of the defense, public order and national security system; drones, counter-drone systems; military mobility. We are also talking about supporting logistics corridors, security and facilitating critical movements, including interagency cooperation,” Despescu said.
On Monday, January 26, the Romanian government presented details of the programs financed through the European SAFE mechanism, including the allocation of 4.2 billion euros for the A7 (Pascani-Sucava-Siret) and A8 (Pascani-Iasi-Ungheni) highways from a total fund of 16 billion euros. These two projects in the north-eastern region of Romania have key components: the modernization of 15 km of highway in Ukraine (part of the Pascheni-Siret project) and the construction of 5 km of highway in the Republic of Moldova (part of the Pascheni-Ungheni project).
