Romanian Times reported that US construction company Bechtel would lay off 1,900 employees, starting in April 2010.

Unions said that they would protest the decision, which the company blamed on the Romanian government's failure to pay debts arising from work on the Transylvania Motorway. The unions are angered by the US firm's intention to keep only 300 employees for the Campia Turzii Turda sector of the motorway.

Bechtel said last month that 1,933 employees working on the Transylvania Motorway would be laid off since roads administrator CNADNR failed to pay 214 million Euros for the work.

Bechtel finished the first 42 kilometers of the motorway, the Turda Gilau sector, on December 1st 2009.

Mr Emil Boc Prime Minister of Romania said recently that the government would propose to Bechtel that certain sectors of the motorway be completed based on a public private partnership, a system the government plans to use for all major infrastructure projects.

(Sourced from www.romaniantimes.at)