Fast pace of structural fund payments towards yearend
Out of the 8.6bn euros in European structural funds available
for the 2007-2010 period, local authorities have so far transferred
almost 1.4bn euros to beneficiaries, meaning a 15.4% absorption
rate.
Major payments have started being operated in the past three
months, when those who won European projects have received almost
420m euros.
Reimbursements operated so far are still low, at 390m euros, with
the rest being represented by pre-funding, namely sums granted in
advance for projects to be started.
"We're still moving very slowly if we look at the absorption
degree. The final term is drawing closer and awareness is growing
at the level of political structures that European money must be
drawn," says Dragoş Jaliu, a partner of Structural Consulting Group
consultancy.
Still lagging behind in drawing European funds is the transport
operational programme (1.83%), which operated no payment in
October.