EditRomania taps EU defence funds to build highways
There is no clear distinction between building infrastructure like highways and infrastructure for defence purposes
Bucharest is seeking to use newly available EU defence funding to build critical road infrastructure with military significance, Romanian broadcaster Digi24 and Umbrela Strategica, a partner publication of EUalive, have reported.
Romania is seeking to use funds from the newly launched EU defence programme, SAFE, to finance motorway construction projects with strategic military value, including routes connecting the country with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, as well as upgrades to the Port of Constanța.
Among the projects submitted by the Romanian government for funding under the €150 billion Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP), of which the SAFE component was introduced in May 2025, are 118 kilometres of the so-called Moldovan Motorway and nearly 90 kilometres of the Unirii Motorway. These investments are intended to enhance both civilian connectivity and military mobility in the region, in line with EU and NATO priorities.
At present, drivers can travel on roughly 103 kilometres of the Moldovan Motorway, namely between Ploiești and Mizil, and between Buzău and Focșani.
Authorities have committed to completing the highway segment from Ploiești to Pașcani by the summer of 2026. Beyond Pașcani, towards Suceava and the northern border crossing at Siret, the Romanian government is looking to finance the remaining sections through the SAFE programme, citing their dual military and economic relevance.
This northern stretch includes 117.7 kilometres, of which 62 kilometres from Pașcani to Suceava already have a selected contractor.
However, the contracts, valued at around 6 billion RON (EUR 1.18 billion), remain unsigned due to the Ministry of Finance not yet approving the necessary funding. From Suceava to Siret, only the feasibility study has been finalised, designating portions of the 56-kilometre segment as express roads rather than full motorways, meaning narrower lanes and no hard shoulders.
The government is also seeking SAFE support for the construction of a portion of the Unirii Motorway, which aims to connect Târgu Mureș în central Romania to the Moldovan border at Ungheni. The targeted section runs from Târgu Neamț to Ungheni and spans approximately 89 kilometres, with an estimated value of 20.3 billion RON (EUR 4 billion). While tenders have been launched, no contractors have yet been selected.
These proposals come in response to growing concerns in Brussels over the EU’s inadequate infrastructure for defence mobility. The European Commissioner for Transport recently warned that the current transport network across the Union is ill-equipped to support the rapid movement of military personnel and heavy equipment in the event of a conflict, particularly on the Eastern flank.
Tunnels may be too narrow for tanks, ageing bridges could be at risk of collapse, and delays at border crossings could hinder deployment.
Bulgaria’s defence infrastructure gap
Similar concerns have been raised in Bulgaria, а year ago, when the then Defence Minister Todor Tagarev argued that the country needed to invest approximately €6 billion in civilian infrastructure capable of supporting NATO’s defence plans.
Bulgaria, Greece, North Macedonia and Romania are all viewed as requiring substantial investment in both road and rail infrastructure to enable the swift deployment of NATO forces from the Aegean Sea to major Black Sea ports such as Varna (Bulgaria) and Constanța (Romania). At present, Bulgaria hosts a NATO multinational battle group under Italian command, numbering around 1,000 troops.
Plans are underway to expand this force to 5,000 personnel and to establish a new NATO military base in southern Bulgaria, which would allow for the formation of a full brigade.
In addition, Bulgaria maintains a bilateral agreement with the United States for the joint use of four military bases on its territory.
Critical gaps in strategic connectivity
Despite these ambitions, Bulgaria and Romania remain the poorest EU member states and still lack fully completed national motorway rings. Their rail infrastructure is similarly outdated. Greece faces comparable challenges and is attempting to modernise its railway system in the aftermath of a fatal train crash that drew attention to chronic underinvestment.
Following the resignation of Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov’s government in early 2024, the issue of using EU funds to develop infrastructure of strategic importance has faded from public debate. Meanwhile, progress on Corridor 8 – a strategic NATO corridor meant to connect the Albanian port of Durrës to Varna, has stalled, due to ongoing bilateral disputes between Sofia and Skopje.
There is no clear distinction between building infrastructure like highways and infrastructure for defence purposes, as both often serve dual roles in enhancing connectivity, logistics, and strategic mobility critical for national security and economic development.
EU countries face pressure from the U.S. to allocate 5% of their GDP to defence spending, but many are tempted to channel a significant portion of these funds into infrastructure projects that support both civilian and military purposes.
Caption: Vehicles drive past motorway signs during a preventive action, organized by the General Police Inspectorate, on the A2 Bucharest – Constanta highway, southeast of Bucharest, Romania, 14 August 2024. EPA/ROBERT GHEMENT
Updated: July 31, 2025 - 06:11
