“We are in discussions with six auto parts producers who want to build factories in Craiova with investments of at least €30 million. I have already spoken with representatives of several of these companies and Wednesday I will meet a delegation from the Spanish Embassy. This is the time for investments in Dolj County, because Bucharest and the west of the country are already saturated,” added Prioteasa. He said that Dolj County Council is also negotiating with a number of logistics companies to develop “a logistical pole near Craiova Airport.”

Prioteasa added that the Council is unable to make land available to investors, but is continuing a stalled 5-year attempt to try to transfer a former military unit, covering 256 hectares and 86 hectares of land belonging to the Agency of State Lands (ADS), which it wants to make available now to these companies, and which he hopes to meet shortly with the Prime Minister about. Plans also already exist for the expansion of Craiova’s airport.

Ford’s takeover of the Daewoo factory in Craiova and the conclusion of the European Commission investigation into the sale by the state to the American car maker have led to the interest of suppliers of the American company in southern Romania, with several of these already applying to Craiova, Caracal and Filiasi’s local authorities for land to build their production units.