Around 1,000 people attended the innauguration ceremony of the first metre of motorway in Romania’s historic region of Moldova on March 15. The event was accompanied by 15-minute protests organised, at the same time, around Romania.

The first metre of motorway in eastern and northeastern Romania was buit, at his own expense, by a businessman residing in the town of Suceava.

Stefan Mandachi, the owner of the Spartan fast-food chain, built the short “motorway” to protest the lack of infrastructure in that part of the country.

Mandachi had announced on his blog that on March 15 activity in all his 40 food shops will be halted for 15 minutes and expressed hope that other businessmen will join his protest.

Many companies and mayors announced they will join Mandachi’s protest.

“I have never lived such moment of solidarity. We have a unique chance to restart Romania,” Mandachi said during the opening ceremony, Hotnews.ro reported.

The representation of the European Commission in Romania also joined the protest. “Coffee break for motorways,” it wrote on its Facebook page.

However, the businessman from Suceava was harshly criticised by the leader of the ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD), Liviu Dragnea, who announced that work on a motorway in that region started that very day. “They are yelling, we are developing Romania,” Dragnea said, adding that the businessman could have donated the money.