Romania activates EU RESTORE mechanism to rebuild flood-hit Neamț and Suceava counties

Romania has activated a European mechanism to support communities hit by devastating floods in Neamț and Suceava counties, the Ministry of Investments and European Projects announced on Thursday, August 21. Minister Dragoș Pîslaru said the EU’s RESTORE mechanism, a rapid response tool for crises and emergencies, will be deployed for the first time in Romania to address urgent needs in Moldova region.

Devastating flash floods hit northeastern Romania at the end of July, impacting hundreds of households in Suceava and Neamţ counties. Dozens of houses were completely destroyed, and three people were killed.

The intervention package totals EUR 15 million, of which EUR 12.75 million comes from European funds. The money will be directed toward rebuilding damaged infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and public facilities in both urban and rural areas.

The program will also finance the relocation of affected families, the purchase of essential equipment, and the implementation of more resilient solutions in line with the “build back better” principle, ensuring reconstruction is safer and more resistant to future disasters, the ministry said.

The decision was approved at the Monitoring Committee of the North-East Regional Program 2021–2027, organized by the North-East Regional Development Agency, with the participation of local and county leaders from Suceava and Neamț. A new priority, titled “A Region Alongside Its Citizens – RESTORE,” was introduced into the EU’s digital mechanism and will become operational immediately, making funds available without delay, according to the official announcement.

“We are innovating, responding quickly, and building better. RESTORE is a tool that strengthens Romania’s capacity to react to crises and emergencies. At the same time, it shows citizens that the government and the European Union stand by them when they need it most. Solidarity is not just a moral principle but a social and governmental duty,” minister Pîslaru said.

He described the allocation, achieved just three weeks after the floods, as an “unprecedented success and a European best practice example.”

This support comes on top of earlier government measures. On August 1, emergency aid between RON 15,000 and 30,000 was approved for flood victims, alongside temporary housing and supplies. The government later granted material assistance covering more than 96% of recorded damages, marking one of the most substantial disaster recovery efforts in recent years.