PM Ciuca: We need to prioritize projects regarding rehabilitation of high seismic risk buildings

Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca asked the Minister of Development, Cseke Attila, to develop an instrument for monitoring the implementation of all projects regarding the rehabilitation of high seismic risk buildings, underscoring, at the same time, that there is need of a "very clear" prioritization and coordination with the local authorities in order to implement them.

The head of the Executive chaired, on Tuesday, at the Victoria Palace, the first meeting of the Inter-institutional Committee for seismic risk analysis.

"What I am asking you for is based on the facts that we took into consideration when we made the decision to set up this inter-institutional committee, namely, to set up that instrument through which we can monitor the implementation of all these projects. We cannot complain that we don't have plans and projects, the problem is related more to their implementation. So we need to have a committee-level instrument to monitor the progress of the implementation of all these projects. You will approve them, they are being coordinated at the ministry level, but I would very much like to get the local authorities involved, because they are responsible for everything that is done in the communities. And then, please come up with concrete proposals, we make the decision in the committee and pass it on as such," Nicolae Ciuca said.

The Prime Minister also underscored the importance of implementing programmes financed from external funds.

"It is important that, in addition to these programmes that are financed from the state budget, we take into account the programmes and projects that are ongoing with European funds, both cohesion funds and those from PNRR [National Recovery and Resilience Plan], as well as the other programmes that are funded by various institutions, such as the World Bank-funded programme, which is also a very good opportunity, which does not have the pace we expected to implement it. These are all elements for monitoring at the committee level, and, of course, for concrete measures, so that we have the certainty that they will be fulfilled," stated Ciuca.

He emphasized that priorities, at this point, are the infrastructure elements that belong to the Ministry of Education - school units and other buildings where the education process takes place, as well as hospitals and public buildings where a large number of people work.

"Because we have established the priorities and, basically, identified part of the funds, which means that we will have to take the money that we do not have from the reserve fund and we need to further coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and identify the solutions to ensure these funds. The fact is that we need very clear prioritization depending on the level of seismic risk and also to coordinate with the financial possibilities of the local authorities, because, once again, the Government is committed, but we need full coordination and complementarity with the local authorities," explained the PM.