UDMR suggests operational programmers reconsidered, 2bil euros diverted to local communities

The countryside could have developed better had excessive centralisation and a high degree of red tape in Romania not affected drawing in European funds, MEP Iuliu Winkler said in Cluj-Napoca on Saturday. 

He indicated that the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR), in the opposition, suggests that the government should reallocate 2 billion euros from operational programmes to other chapters to help local administrations. 

"In Transylvania, the villages were able to develop, and through the cohesion policy they have modernised. We have grown a lot, but we could have achieved even better results had centralisation and red tape in Romania not hindered us in using European funds. UDMR proposes the Government to look into the results of the operational programmes and reapportion 2 billion euros to other chapters, which means more money in support of the local communities," Winkler said at a convention of the UDMR Congress held in Cluj-Napoca. 

He added that he wants to continue his job at the European Parliament, because Brussels needs experienced people that can to contribute to the well-being of the communities they hail from. 

"I do not want to serve globalisation at the World Bank level other fora in the coming years, but I want to work at the EP, still working in the interest of UDMR. In May, there will be elections to the European Parliament, and there will be a decision on who will have the majority. If becoming MEPs are those who can bring more money to the local communities, we need a strong Hungarian representation in the Carpathian Basin, so we need to continue working and we need professional experience and expertise, we need a strong representation in Brussels to shape up how we want the future of the European Union to be," said Winkler, currently holding a MEP seat for the second time on behalf of UDMR. 

Cluj-Napoca on Friday and Saturday hosted the 14th convention of the UDMR Congress, to pass a president's report, elect the party's national leader and pick its candidates for the European elections this May.