Romania plans to reach EUR 1.9 bln EU fund absorption by year-end

Romania’s objective is to reach a EU fund absorption of EUR 1.9 billion in the current financing framework by the end of this year, EU funds minister Rovana Plumb said on Tuesday, May 8. She added that the Government also plans to finalize the allotment of the EUR 11.6 billion worth of EU funds available for Romania in the Large Infrastructure Operational Programme. About 19% of these funds haven’t been covered with projects yet. So far, within the Large Infrastructure Operational Programme, Romania has approved and contracted 174 projects worth a combined EUR 6 billion, the minister said. This program is the biggest one financed with EU funds. The EU funds minister came out with these figures one day after president Klaus Iohannis criticized the Government on the low EU funds absorption. Rovana Plumb commented that the current PSD government surely had better results than the technocrat cabinet led by Dacian Ciolos in this area. A third of the unspent EU funds belonged to Romania editor@romania-insider.com