“Through this loan accord guaranteed by the Romanian government we hope to give a fresh impetus to the Ford company and to their investment in Romania. We continue to hope this investment will create more jobs, enable the know-how transfer and of course bring the company’s activity up to the standards it wishes.”

The Ford investment in the car factory based in Craiova, south-western Romania is estimated to reach almost 1.2 billion euros in 2012. The Ford production rate will rise up to 250 thousand vehicles in 2011 and to 300 thousand in 2012, after the company has started producing a small-sized car and the EcoBoost engine. In an interview granted on Radio Romania, the US ambassador to Bucharest, Mark Gitenstein revealed the United States’ interest to invest in Romania.

“There are specific energy companies that are considering. I cannot go into details right now but I think energy is Number one, technology is a second area. You know another area is infrastructure. I’ve heard a lot about airports. It was a huge investment made by Ford in Craiova, in a large auto plant that I first visited when I came here in Romania. It hopes to build a thousand cars a day at full speed. The problem is they can’t get the cars out of Craiova.”

Gitenstein remarked the infrastructure development was the key to economic growth, something the USA experienced.

“ In the United States in the 1950’s president Eisenhower made a big investment in building our interstate highway system and had a huge leveraging effect in growing our economy in the 50’s and 60’s and I think this is a lesson you should take to heart.”

Romania has under 300 km of highway built. The National Road Company says another 100 km will be ready this year, out of a total 500 kilometers under construction.