PNL calls on Government to speed up procedures for absorption of European funds

PNL President Ludovic Orban called on the Government on Monday to speed up all procedures for the absorption of European funds, stressing that otherwise Romania risks losing 10 billion euros to which it is entitled in the financial year 2014 - 2020.

"We sound an alarm signal and we call on the Government to speed up all the procedures regarding the absorption of European funds. After lying to us that they would uptake the billions this year, the level of absorption will be below the forecast level. Wake up, because otherwise we risk losing over 10 billion euros, money that can be used for modern infrastructure, regional hospitals, the modernization of educational institutions," Orban said on Monday at the end of the meeting of the PNL (National Liberal Party, ed. n.) Executive Bureau.

The leader of the liberals blamed Prime Minister Viorica Dancila for using the helicopter to travel in the country, while the Romanians are "stuck in traffic". At the same time, he blamed the Government for the "irresponsible" way in which it handled the big infrastructure projects.

"At present, no major infrastructure project, whether financed by European funds or benefiting from other forms of financing, has not been launched by the current government," he said.

Ludovic Orban also criticized "blocking the works for ensure the Danube's navigability" and "not using European funds for major infrastructure projects", referring to highways and railways.

"All are blocked, delayed, and this Government seems not to want to build modern infrastructure. The same thing is found in the railway field, in which no major project of modernizing the railway infrastructure in the pan-European corridor from Constanta to Curtici has been started, although here we have European funds, billions of euros available, to finance these modernization works," he added.