President Iohannis, WB delegation meet on Wednesday

President Klaus Iohannis will receive on Wednesday at the Cotroceni Palace the World Bank delegation headed by the institution's Europe and Central Asia Vice-President Cyril Muller, the Presidential Administration announced. 

According to the cited source, the meeting is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. 

The Government of Romania and the World Bank signed on Monday a memorandum of understanding for the continuation of technical assistance to Romanian public institutions until 2023, for supporting structural reforms and the modernization of public administration. 

Prior to signing the memorandum, PM Dacian Ciolos and Minister of European Funds Aura Raducu met with the WB representatives. 

Aura Raducu said that the memorandum of understanding sets the framework in place for Romania's receiving technical assistance in various areas, particularly for enhancing administrative capacity and implementing the structural reforms the Government plans to accomplish in the context of the use of EU funds for the period 2014 - 2020. 

"This is the second memorandum signed in this context with the World Bank. The first one was carried out over 2012 - 2015, when 26 financing agreements were signed for 20 institutions, for a total of approximately 32 million euros, financed under European programs. The second agreement will also be financed from European program, the technical assistance program for 2015 - 2020. It was signed in the context of talks between the European Commission and the Romanian Government, for which financing agreements were and will be signed with the three international financial institutions [the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission]," minister Raducu said on the occasion. 

WB Vice-President for Europe and Central Asia Cyril Muller voiced his opinion that Romania's economic condition is significantly better than five years ago. 

It's a great pleasure to the WB to provide to Romania provisional technical assistance. In the past five years we permanently backed the sectoral programs, like for instance reform in administration, education, health care, and other sectors. And we will further provide assistance to the Government with the implementation of reform programs and the efficient use of the European funds at their disposal. We also want to support Romania attain its economic growth and living standard goals, Muller added.