Marcel Ciolacu is located on Friday, Ferbuarie, in Brussels, where he has tete-a-tey discussions with Ursula von der Leyen on the theme of PNNR renegotiation. Romania has problems with several payment requests, and the Executive would have modified the ordinance that allowed the appointment of sinecians in the board of directors and which blocked 1.1 billion euros in the number 3 request.
UPDATE 18.00: Request number 3 of PNRR, priority on the agenda of discussions
The prime minister stated in some press statements that priority during the discussions in Brussels were the request for payment number 3. Also, on the agenda he also found target 119 which provides for the closure of certain capabilities on the end of the year.
“Yesterday I made a very clear decision, even if legislative was not a recommendation, as a custom politic people cannot apply to the boards of directors.
There are certain recommendations and it is a fairly consistent amount that will stop for a period of 6 months until it is remedied. Then I already gave an ordinance with my colleagues, so that Mr. Burduja does not assume the natural person. We assume, the whole government of Romania, a stupidity made by another government and another minister, but it is part of the things you take on good and bad ”, said the prime minister.
Asked about the renegotiation that Romania makes regarding the PNRR, such as other states that did not do it, the prime minister replied: “Not that they didn’t do it. We are in a dynamic. (…) It is normal for this dynamic to discuss PNRR after a period of time. This discussion has completed this discussion and Italy is to have it Romania. ”
The prime minister also stated that he is paid by the Romanians not to lose money from the PNRR.
UPDATE 17.50: Electoral security discussions
The Romanian prime minister said on X that he had discussed with the head of the European Commission on accelerating and ensuring the efficient absorption of funds, as well as requesting an extension for major projects. The discussions also looked at the reduction of the budget deficit without VAT increase, with emphasis on digitalization and tax collection.
The discussions also looked at electoral security and combating misinformation and cyber threats, but also the role of Europe in peace negotiations and the fact that Romania must be at the discussion table.
And Ursula von der Leyen had a post on the X platform: “We discussed our European work on competitiveness and security. A strong Europe, it means a strong Romania! We also discussed how to make the most of Nextgeneu on the field – many success stories. ”
News in the course of update
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“Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu It will be found tomorrow, February 21, at BrusselsS, for consultations with the President of the European Commission, Mrs. Ursula von der Leyen, regarding the renegotiation of the national recovery and resilience plan of Romania, but also on the situation of regional and global security, in the context of the negotiations that take place at present in search of a solution to put an end to the war in Ukraine ”, said the government in a press release.
According to the quoted source, “The objective of Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu and the government delegation is to agree with the Commission officials to renegotiate some issues related to the targets and milestones provided within this public investment plan and reforms so that Romania can fully absorb the funds that have been allocated by the mechanism. European for recovery and resilience ”.
“We are firmly motivated to mobilize to recover the registered gaps, unfortunately, so far, in attracting these funding. There are, howeversaid Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, who is confident that Romania can benefit.
PNRR problems
Facias (Foundation for the defense of citizens against state abuses) warned previously in a press release that “The European funds allocated for Romania through the National Plan of Redress and Resility (PNRR) are blocked, and their access is delayed due to the failure of the authorities to comply with the commitments.”
The European Commission has suspended 1.1 billion euros related to the payment request number 3. Now the Government would have modified the ordinance that allowed the appointment of sinecuriists in the board of directors of state companies, due to which the money from the number 3 application was blocked.
The same request for payment concerns special pensions. „P.It is aside, we are waiting for the decision of the Constitutional Court, on February 4, regarding the pensions of the military and, on the other hand, we have the pronunciation that the Constitutional Court has already had, for what 20% of taxation means special pensions and, of course, hence the unconstitutionality of this decision. We are waiting for these decisions to be published in the official monitor and we are waiting for the visit of the European Commission, announced for the period February 10th-February 14 ”, said Marcel Boloş.
However, the application for payment number 4, worth 2.4 billion euros, has not yet been transmitted, because there are a series of unfulfilled milestones, and another 4.04 billion euros, related to the payment request no. 5, are in danger, according to the quoted source, in the context in which the application must be sent to the European Commission until March 2025.
The Minister of Finance, Tanczos Barna pointed out that there are some delays in terms of PNRR and that there are ministries that risk losing money because of the period without performance.
Tete-a-tete discussions with the head of the European Commission
The program of the visit to Brussels includes a tete-tete meeting between Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu and the president Ursula von Der Leyen, as well as a plenary meeting of the Romanian government delegation with a delegation of the European Commission.
The official delegation that accompanies Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu to Brussels are the deputy prime minister and Minister of Finance Tánczos Barna, and the Minister of European Investments and Projects, Marcel Boloș.
The government made one last change for unlocking Facebook PHOTO Money / Marcel Ciolacu
