Development minister: Absorption of European funds, still biggest challenge in 2022

The absorption of European funds remains the biggest challenge in 2022, while regional development, territorial harmonization and investments aimed at social and economic balance remain priorities of the Ministry of Development (MDLPA), said on Tuesday Minister of Development, Public Works and Administration Cseke Attila, Agerpres reports.

"The 2022 Regional Operational Programme has an absorption target of 1.25 billion euros, 300 million euros more than in 2021, and this target must definitely be met, and in 2023, the absorption target is almost double compared to 2022, namely 2.19 billion euros. With these absorption targets we will reach one hundred percent absorption on the Regional Operational Programme and we aim at this desideratum which is important to be able to develop the local communities and Romania," the Minister of Development told a press conference, during which he reviewed the activity for 2021.

Cseke Attila added that two other challenges are related to the implementation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), of reforms and investments, as well as to the implementation of the Anghel Saligny Investment Programme, which will provide basic infrastructure - water, sanitation, roads, connection to gas networks - worth 50 billion RON, under which as many as 7,545 projects have been submitted, totaling 137.5 billion RON.

Through PNRR, the Ministry of Development has allocated over 4 billion euros, of which 2.1 billion euros for the local fund (each administrative-territorial unit has a pre-allocated identical amount, regardless of their size), and 2.17 billion euros are distributed in the Renovation Fund, which ensures on both components a territorialisation of the financing granted to the energy efficiency projects (by counties and for the underdeveloped areas 20%).