Intercommunality and local Development
|
|
The Town Hall Brasov and ,,Transilvania Expres? Foundation, along with its partners The Municipalities? Association from Romania, The Towns? Association from Romania, The Local Authorities? Federation and The European Integration Department, organized in the early March, at Aro-Palace Hotel, the meeting dedicated to ,,The Intercommunality and Local Development ? the growth of the Structural Funds absorption degree?. Opening the debate, Anca Boagiu, the European Integration minister, emphasized the two goals of the encounter: determinate the local politicians and the public administration?s representatives to approach the local development as a strategy and offer them at least a solution to palliate the lack of a local developing strategy. The minister declared herself optimistic about the capacity of our country to bear up the European Union requirements regarding the structural funds? accession.
European Money Absorption
The event?s aim was establishing the Durable Development Agency Brasov, having as members various local public administrations: Brasov, Ghimbav, Predeal, Sanpetru, Codlea, Halchiu, Prejmer, Sacele, Cristian, Harman and Tarlungeni. On this occasion, Cristian David, delegate minister for the control of the international financing programs? implementation and the application of the communitarian acquis, disclosed that Brasov is meant to become the most developed and civilizes region in Romania. George Scripcaru, the mayor of Brasov, believes that Brasov is able to absorb European money: ?We must be prepared to access those funds. People are waiting for us solutions to their problems and the absorption of those money could be one of them. We also need a better communication with all the structures involved in this project?.
29 Billions Euros Financing
Once Romania will end the accession process, the entire amount of the European funds at our disposal will reach 28,8 billion euros, wherefrom 17,2 billions euros will be structural and cohesion funds, while 11,6 billions euros - agricultural and rural development funds. 85% of them are irredeemable funds; the co-financing part the local authorities will take over is of 15%. On the pre-accession funds it was applied the formula ?n+2?, which means we had two years leeway to implement the project, or the financing would be considered lost. By accessing the structural funds, the formula to be applied is ?n+3?. According to Anca Boagiu, the PHARE program will continue till 2009-2010. All the projects lacking funding, although they were considered eligible, will be financed through the structural funds.
Minister Boagiu appreciated the initiatives of the town hall and the county council Brasov regarding the establishment of various durable development agencies, patterned upon the agency created following the initiative of mayor George Scripcaru. The minister would like this model of accessing funds to be followed by other counties in Romania.
Danish Partnership
Starting from 14 March, the Durable Development Agency Brasov (ADDB) is officially functioning at the forth floor of the new Town Hall in the Civic Centre.
A first partnership has been already established between the County Council, the Municipality and the Danish representatives, as ESA SA (The Agency for Energy Saving), which goal is to develop projects for the infrastructure.
According to Marian Rasaliu, County Council? vice-president, the project is 28.000 euros worth, and the county council will decide the taking over of 7.000 euros as co-financing.
