Absorption rate of European funds this year exceeds 70 pct, says premier Ciuca

This year the absorption rate of European funds exceeded 70 pct, and Romania avoided decommitting 3 billion euros from the 2014-2020 financial framework, premier Nicolae Ciuca said on Wednesday, at the beginning of the gov't sitting, Agerpres informs.

"This year we managed to do it in such a way that the increase in the absorption rate ensures that we exceed the percentage of 70 pct and at the same time avoid the disengagement of 3 billion euros from this 2014-2020 framework. The measures taken at the coalition level and implemented from the government's table, through the Support for Romania package, were aimed both at supporting the business environment and in this way we will continue to ensure the largest amount for investments also through the 2023 budget. You know very well that at the beginning of the year we announced that in 2022 we secured the largest percentage of the budget for investments. We have continued this project of ours for the year 2023. As such, we will continue to support the economy, we will continue to take measures, so that imbalances do not occur in the overall economy and we are not affected by all the consequences of the economic crisis at the European level and on a global level," Ciuca said.

He stressed that through the Support for Romania programme, the government undertook to protect the vulnerable population and took measures to ensure the necessary sums for disadvantaged people, and these measures will be continued in 2023.

"There were a series of measures aimed at children and young people with modest opportunities, scholarships were increased, social programmes were approved to give every child the chance for education and a better life, we expanded the Hot Meals In Schools programme and vouchers were given for supplies and clothes," he emphasized.