Second change in Romania’s Government: EU funds minister resigns

Romania’s Government has recorded the second change in the past two weeks as the European funds minister Ana Raducu handed in her resignation, on Monday, April 25. Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos asked for her resignation as he was unhappy with her ministry’s results. “I agreed to be part of this administrative team as I thought I would manage to introduce a new approach and a new type of management in the important field of EU funds,” Aura Raducu said in a statement. She added that the priorities she set when taking the mandate were in an advanced stage of implementation. However, “taking into account the Prime Minister’s complaints related to the short-term goals,” she decided to resign. “I regret that I didn’t have the chance to complete the actions I’ve set, but I remain a supporter of the cohesion policy, the European principles, and the most efficient and professional use of EU funds for the country’s social and economic development,” Aura Raducu added in her message. Raducu took over as EU funds minister in November 2015. She is the second minister who leaves the technocrat Government led by Dacian Ciolos, after former labor minister Ana Costea resigned earlier this month. Romania’s EU funds absorption rate reaches 65.8% Romania loses EU Funds of EUR 3 bln, as projects miss deadline Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com