Local public administration employees taking part in the implementation of projects carried out on European funds could see their wages increase by 75 percent, Minister for Regional Development and Tourism Elena Udrea said on Thursday in Botosani.
She also voiced dissatisfaction with the absorption of European funds, arguing that the lack of interest on the part of public institutions is one of the factors. ‘The local public administration has requested that those who deal with project implementation, the employees of local public administrations, be paid an up to 75-percent pay bonus, the same as those checking the projects do. We believe it would be more rewarding for them if they were better paid,’ Udrea explained.
Udrea said that projects worth a total of 11 billion euros have so far been submitted for the Regional Operational Programme, but the available funds are only 4.4 billion euros. The amounts so far contracted are 2 billion euros, but ‘payments to beneficiaries are not as important.’
‘Romania has a problem with absorbing European funds. Although the Development Ministry is the first contractor of European funds, we are dissatisfied overall. The implementation of these projects should be sped up because the money has to actually come to Romania, not be just on paper,’ said Udrea.