According to an official document obtained by Mediafax Friday, Walter Deffaa, general manager of the European Commission’s Directorate General for Regional Policy (DG REGIO), and Angela Martinez-Sarasola, the head of the DG REGIO office for Romania, have recently told Romanian Ambassador to the European Union Mihnea Motoc that the country’s plan targeting to increase the EU fund absorption rate has failed and authorities refuse assistance from financial institutions, while the administration is paralyzed by the current national context. Authorities accept the recommendations made by the Commission, usually without also implementing them, they added.
Deffaa also highlighted that the responsibility to solve the problem belongs to Romanian authorities and warned that lobbying in Brussels will not replace local efforts.
The Government said the information released by the press is “customary information” concerning the diplomatic relations between Romania’s Embassy to the EU and EC officials. It is only technical, it is not decisive and may harm Romania’s image, the Government added.
It also said European Affairs Minister Leonard Orban is currently in Brussels, “as efforts are made so Romania will not be affected” and “projects will continue”.
A report recently sent to the DG REGIO reveals serious problems concerning two of the four Romanian EU-funded operational programs the Commission is currently checking, the document revealed.
It also stated that the European Commission is preparing a letter to stop one payment for the construction of Romania’s Arad-Nadlac highway, after finding irregularities and suspicions of fraud. This possibility was confirmed late Friday by Prime Minister Victor Ponta.