Interim Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, leader of the National Liberal Party (PNL), stated on Saturday in Timisoara that renegotiating the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) over the next two weeks is a priority for the Government, as important projects financed through this programme are underway in every county capital in Romania and must be completed in the coming months, according to Agerpres.
'The renegotiation of the programme over the next two weeks is a priority and, for that reason, the completion of these projects is also vital for the municipality of Timisoara. Furthermore, there are many assets and projects currently under the administration of the Government and the Romanian state which could be transferred to county capitals, so that assets which are not currently being properly used can instead be put to good use. During the period we have just completed, throughout the ten months of government, the decentralisation component was important and we will continue to support it in the future, regardless of the positions the two parties (PNL and USR (Save Romania Union) - editor's note) may hold. The transfer of assets to local authorities so that they can be developed and utilised is an important direction that we must continue to support,' Ilie Bolojan said in a joint statement alongside the Mayor of Timisoara, Dominic Fritz, leader of the Save Romania Union (USR).
Bolojan stated that the PNL would act as an 'ally' of the USR during the consultations to be held on Monday at Cotroceni Palace with the President of Romania, Nicusor Dan. They will also convey that, based on their experience during these months of governing, they intend to continue supporting - in whatever governing formula may emerge in the coming period - projects related to the absorption of European funds, Romania's financial stability, and economic recovery programmes.
'This is intended, on the one hand, to bring to a close this period - which we could not avoid - of budgetary constraints and deficit reduction, and to move into a phase of economic recovery. We will also support in Parliament the projects related to the PNRR which we will submit over the next two weeks, so that all the milestones Romania must fulfil in order to access European funding are completed and these funds are not lost. The two parties will support these projects, which represent Romania's commitments to the European Union,' Ilie Bolojan added.
The interim Prime Minister is visiting Timis County on Saturday, where he will also attend the graduation ceremony for the Class of 2026 at the West University of Timisoara, during which he is expected to deliver a speech.
