According to the minister, over 1,500 rural development projects have so far been submitted, of which 443 have been finalized.
“Financing requests exceed by three times the available budget,” said Petrescu.
Most of the programs carried out by the ministry target small-sized and medium enterprises, and the funds allotted reach about EUR1 billion, said the minister.
Government spokesman Dan Suciu said Tuesday ministers and heads of authorities in charge of EU-funded programs who fail to speed up fund absorption and eliminate problems that hinder the process will be dismissed.