According to a decision adopted by the Government recently, the ministry will return the money in euro by the end of the year, from sums reimbursed by the European Commission.
Of the RON650 million granted by the state, RON70 million will be used for payments in January, RON230 million for payments to be made in February and RON350 million for payments in March.
If the sum reimbursed by the Commission is not enough to cover the loan, due to ineligible expenses, the ministry will cover the difference from its own budget.
The Regional Development Ministry was also allowed to borrow the same amount of money from the same source to cover payments for EU-funded projects within regional operational program POR in the January-March interval.
On June 11, 2011, the European Commission stopped payments to Romania through POR after it noted public procurement irregularities.
In July, Romania decided to stop sending bills for EU fund reimbursements to Brussels until the bills were checked and management authorities made financial corrections.
On October 31, the Ministry for European Affairs said it informed the EC that Romania met requirements for resumption of reimbursements for projects financed with structural funds.
On December 15, the European Commission decided to unfreeze EU funds going to Romania through POR.
The Romanian Government wants to attract about EUR6 billion this year, which means a 20% absorption rate. (EUR1=RON4.3473)