The Romanian Communications Ministry will carry out a EUR 84 million project, funded by the European Union, to provide Internet access to the remaining unconnected areas in the country, according to minister Valerian Vreme.

The ministry is currently "working on the technical solution" and the funds are to be used to "develop a fiber-optic network all over the entire country," said Vreme, adding that even small, isolated settlements would have Internet coverage.

The minister said that, according to a study by Vodafone, only 10 percent of Romania has no Internet access, while other studies reckon about 20-25 percent lacks coverage. He pointed out that Romania boasts among the best communications systems in Europe and even the world, ranking fourth on the continent by the quality of telephone and data transmissions.

Mediafax