Investing in Continuous Development of Dolj County
Situated in the South-West of Romania, the Dolj County has shown enormous development in the past decade, constantly providing attractive conditions for foreign investors. Serving as President of Dolj County Council for more than 12 years, Ion Prioteasa discusses the latest investments in the airport infrastructure and health sector, highlighting the investment opportunities the County offers.
What are some of the achievements in your mandate?
Ion Prioteasa: The major achievements the Dolj County Council has accomplished recently are the construction of the bridge that connects Calafat to Bulgaria, and the conduction of the project for rehabilitation and usage of the Craiova Airport. In this context, the County Council has developed a master plan, defining the airport activities and development processes for the next 20 years, in order to put the airport on the country map and attract new airlines.
We have established the first Industrial Park Craiova, creating approximately 1000 new employments, and the second High Tech Industrial Park near the airport, providing highly attractive conditions for FDI, including land price for €0.05 per square meter. The County provided the funds for the Water Master Plan, project with estimated worth of €185 million, providing water to seven cities in the Dolj County and the neighbouring municipalities, and we are currently working on the construction of a cultural Brancusi Centre.
What are some of the recent improvements in the County’s health sector?
Ion Prioteasa: Putting the focus on the health sector, we are in the final phase of the construction of the largest hospital in Romania, including 1.600 beds and a cardiology clinic. Our plan is to expand the Emergency hospital, an investment worth €6 million, and to provide additional investment of €10 million for ambulance and morgue. We provide home for approximately 1.500 children abandoned by their families that move to work abroad, and nearly half of the Council’s budget is allocated for this purpose. Delivered as a European Project, the County supports the construction of three new regional hospitals in Iasi, Cluj and Craiova.
Which sectors in Dolj County should the foreign investors target?
Ion Prioteasa: The foreign investors target the automotive sector, considering that the region has several faculties in this field, which provides extensive workforce. The County offers skilled personnel from the Faculty of Aeronautics and attractive conditions in the Industrial Park High Tech, increasing the interest for investment in the aero and the IT sector. We are also interested in cooperation with production companies, such as Softronic, and we support the development of the European Union program named SUERD, in order to provide unclogged transport on the Danube River. The agriculture sector shows high potential, taking into account that with good climate conditions the County can provide food for the entire population of Romania.
