Daimler, Mitsubishi and VW eye Romania

Japanese car manufacturer, Mitsubishi is reportedly planning to set up production sites in the Romania, said Silaghi, the minister responsible for small and medium-sized companies, trade and tourism.

"Mercedes (Daimler’s flagship brand), Mitsubishi and Audi (the luxury arm of VW) want to make cars in Romania and are currently in the process of looking at a number of sites," he said.

"Mercedes had been examining the Oradea region (in the northwest), but owing to problems with groundwater levels, has switched to Timisoara", in the west, he added.

Silaghi had already said at the beginning of May that Mercedes would announce its plans to set up a plant in Romania "in the next two months."

The minister said Japanese giant Mitsubishi "is actively looking for a site, while Audi has only just started" its enquiries.

During a visit to Bucharest in May, Mitsubishi Motors president Osamu Masuko said the group hoped to open a parts factory in Romania.