The beneficiaries of EU-funded projects only got EUR164 million into their accounts over the past two months, which is equal to the average amount beneficiaries had collected each month in the first half.
Under the circumstances, it is hard to believe the government will reach its EUR3 billion absorption target by yearend, considering the payments made so far in the first eight months barely exceeded EUR1 billion.
Whereas last month authorities said the absorption decline had been caused by the slower processing of the reimbursement applications because the staff doing it was also busy re-checking problem contracts, the slow progress of payments in August has a different explanation:
“Payments were made, but they are late to show in statistics, because the Transport program, for instance, has a special financing system. Builders are paid from the ministry’s budget, as part of the projects approved by the European Commission, for which the financing decision has not been signed yet,” said Stefan Ciobanu, head of the Structural Instrument Coordination Authority (ACIS), an institution subordinated to the Government.
“When it is signed, the management authority will get the money back, because payments have been made for projects not yet approved for the time being.”
The worst performer of all is the operational program for Transport, subordinated to Transport Minister Anca Boagiu. Official statistics show that the beneficiaries of EU funds for transport have not collected any money over the past two months.
“We are making efforts to reach our EUR3 billion goal for this year,” Ciobanu added. “There is no risk of us losing any money this year, but the absorption target will be higher. 2013 will be the most difficult year.”
Payments for EU-funded projects made from January through the end of August amounted to EUR1.02 billion, almost double compared to the same interval last year (when they stood at EUR509 million).
Officials said they expected payments to increase in the second half of the year, when they hope to have the highest bills for transport or environment projects paid.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu; Editing by Ioana Tudor)