Patriciu attacks the "road mafia" in the asphalt scandal

CNADNR decided that only more expensive polymerized bitumen is to be used in construction and reconditioning of roads and highways as of next year, apparently based on a requirement as part of an EU directive. According to CNADNR officials the only producer in that complies with this demand is the Vega refinery, owned by the Rompetrol group, while Colas Mangalia supplies this same polymerized bitumen, albeit imported.

According to Patriciu, the new regulation is merely a reissuing of previous legislation, whose compliance was impeded by the "road mafia.”

Rompetrol recently started producing polymerized bitumen at its Vega refinery in Ploiesti. Patriciu mentioned that Vega is not the only producer of this type of bitumen in .

Rompetrol data shows that the total bitumen market amounts to an annual volume of 600,000 tons, while Vega's capacity is some 60,000 tons per year, which could increase if there are orders. Dinu Patriciu added that the only order received in October was one for 72 tons, for the Baneasa Airport runways.  National Road nr. 2, from Buzau to Urziceni, which was repaired in 1999 with this type of asphalt, is still in good condition today despite intensive traffic.

Furthermore, Euroconstruct representatives have said that producing introducing polymerized bitumen is advantageous for Romanian road construction companies, who have been obliged to import the product at very high costs.