Gov't to consider one-billion-euro funds for multiannual culture investment programme

Prime Minister Viorica Dancila says the government is due on Thursday to discuss a multiannual culture investment programme, under which one billion euros will be allocated to showcase historical monuments, libraries, museums, cultural centres and concert halls. 

"We are also discussing at today's meeting the investment programme in the field of culture. It is an area that urgently needs multiannual funding for the acquisition of historical monuments and cultural assets, the building of cultural assets and carrying out of interventions, rehabilitation or modernisation works. With the approval of a clear investment programme, we can value historical monuments, libraries, museums, cultural centres, and concert halls. In order to implement this ample investment program, we will provide an amount of one billion euros for multiannual funding contracts can be concluded, and this objective was enshrined in the government programme, while being in line with the major strategic objectives of the National Convention on Culture, voted at the Social Democratic Party (PSD) Congress convention in March," Dancila said at the beginning of a government meeting on Thursday. 

She mentioned that the financing contracts for the initiation of two cultural projects, worth approximately 12 million euros in all, were already signed: the E-Culture Programmme: The Romanian Digital Library and the Historical Monuments Programme - strategic planning and optimised public policies. 

"In the centennial year, we are concerned both with the events dedicated to the celebration of the [December 1, 1918] Greater Union and important projects for the next generations. I am pleased to announce the signing of the financing contracts for the launch of two major cultural projects worth approximately 12 million euros in all - the E-Culture Program: Digital Library of Romania and the Historical Monuments Programme - strategic planning and optimised public policies. Under the e-culture programme, 550,000 cultural resources will be displayed in the digital library of Romania, a library-type digital information platform and catalogue shared with culturalia.ro; last but not least, about 200,000 cultural resources will be digitised and posted on the europeana.eu portal," she said. 

Dancila said the Historical Monuments - strategic planning and optimised public policies programme is designed to draw up the Cultural Heritage Code, and a national strategy for the protection of historical monuments. 

"We are thus supporting the central public administrations for better preservation and protection of historical monuments. The projects will be made from non-reimbursable European funds and I trust that their implementation will follow the plan and that they will contribute to the promotion of our cultural and national identity," she said.