Ministry of Development comes up with plan for small towns far from metropolitan areas in Romania

The Ministry of Development proposed to the government to analyse the opportunity to develop an investment program dedicated to the economic recovery of small towns with a population of under 25,000 in non-metropolitan areas. The financial support for the development of these towns has been so far fragmented, and competition with large cities for funds proved unfair, the ministry argues in the document consulted by Profit.ro.

The small towns targeted by the scheme are home to 1.3 million residents out of the country's 21.8 million resident population. The turnover of the companies hosted by these towns, per capita of resident population, is only EUR 8.9 thousand compared to EUR 14.6 million average for all towns and cities and EUR 23.9 thousand per capita in the county capitals.

According to the document drafted by the Ministry of Development, the national territory is characterised by an asymmetric development, caused by geographical, cultural, social, and political factors.

Most of Romania's economy and population are concentrated in the county capitals and their metropolitan territory. In contrast, non-metropolitan territories face major economic and social challenges, aspects materialised by demographic decline.

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