According to Orban, the Commission said Monday all requests were approved.
Refund requests for the other operational programs the country carries out amount to EUR470 million.
Last week, Orban said reimbursement requests within POR amount to EUR200 million and to EUR600 million for all operational programs.
Asked to explain the difference between the figures announced last week and those released this Tuesday, the minister said corrections have been made following negotiations between the audit authority and EU fund management authorities.
Regional Development and Tourism Minister Elena Udrea said Thursday the European Commission decided to unfreeze EU funds going to Romania through the Regional Operational Program. She said the Commission may reimburse Romania for about EUR200 million by the end of the year.
In July 2011, Romania decided to stop sending bills for EU fund reimbursements to Brussels until these bills are checked and management authorities make financial corrections.
On October 31, the Ministry for European Affairs said it informed the EC that Romania meets requirements for resumption of reimbursements for projects financed with structural funds.
According to the draft 2012 budget, the Government wants to absorb about EUR6 billion in European funds.
The regional operational program was launched in July 2007. Its budget stands at EUR4.4 billion, of which 84% is ensured by the European Union and the remainder from national resources (14% public co-financing and 2% private co-financing).
Romania’s structural fund absorption rate stood at 3.72% on November 30, according to data released by the Ministry of European Affairs. POR registered the highest fund absorption rate, of 7.53%. The lowest EU fund absorption rate was registered by the operational program for environment – 1.89%.