Romania redirects 2.8 billion euros from European funds for technologies, defense and housing, announces Roxana Mînzatu
Roxana Mînzatu, vice-president of the European Commission, announced that Romania is moving over 2.8 billion euros from European funds to areas considered priority at the EU level, such as technology, defense, housing and water infrastructure.
Roxana Mânzatu/PHOTO: Facebook
“Romania reallocates over 2.8 billion Euros of European money to 4 of the 5 new European priorities, as part of the review process of the Cohesion Policy from the 2021-2027 multiannual budget:
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Competitiveness and strategic technologies – 1.53 billion Euro
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Defense and preparedness for crisis situations – 904 million Euros
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Housing – 208 million Euros
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Water infrastructure – 200 million Euros”, sent this.
The EC vice-president said that an important part of this reallocation of funds, respectively approx. 456 million Euros, is supported by the European Social Fund Plus, which it manages at the level of the European Commission.
“How will the money be used?
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In strategic technologies – for projects in digitization, health, industry and economic transition, including for the modernization of agriculture and for training people in fields of the future.
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In new skills for people – for training in areas such as digital technology, health, cyber security, defence, civilian training and even defence.
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In defense and crisis infrastructure – for military mobility, including highway construction, as well as strengthening defense production capabilities.
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In water and wastewater networks – to expand and modernize essential water infrastructure so that more communities have easy access to this basic necessity.
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In social and affordable housing – for the construction or development of social housing, including through regional programs and the Just Transition Fund.”
Roxana Mînzatu announced that almost 34 billion euros have been reallocated to the new priorities of the EU, following the review of cohesion funds, of which 3.3 billion euros come from the European Social Fund Plus.
“Romania, with a reallocation of 2.837 billion Euros, is one of the states that allocated the most money for these new strategic European needs, being in the top 5:
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Poland – 8,054 billion Euros
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Italy – 7.058 billion Euros
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Spain – 3.201 billion Euros
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Romania – 2.837 billion Euros
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Portugal – 2.541 billion Euro”
He concludes by emphasizing that this reallocation proves that the EU Cohesion Policy is extremely relevant to respond to the new European priorities while maintaining its fundamental objective: reducing development gaps between regions and member states.
Mânzatu also announced a new European strategy for the prevention and management of wildfires, which aims to improve both prevention and response.
Vegetation fire in Șegheș: a house and two cars burned. Firefighters intervene urgently
“A new European strategy for forest fire prevention and management – Integrated Wildfire Risk Management (IWRM). Painful realities:
• In Europe, up to 96% of wildfires are caused by humans.
• Last year, it burned an area comparable to the size of Cyprus, generating damages of around 2.5 billion euros”, sent this.
According to the EC Vice-President, the new plan “help Europe prevent fires better and respond more effectively.”
How? Anticipation: joint monitoring via satellites and teams ready to intervene in risk areas, anywhere in Europe;
Prevention: more information, with an educational component and clear rules, more fire-resistant forests and land;
Intervention: more planes and helicopters mobilized, faster interventions between countries;
Recovery: reforestation and support for the recovery of affected areas; explained this.
Roxana Mînzatu also says that the European funds she manages (Erasmus+ and FSE+) can be used for collaboration between states, the training of specialists and the preparation of vulnerable communities, including through courses and information campaigns.
“Firefighters remain on the frontline, responding to extreme conditions to protect lives, homes and communities. That's why investment in equipment, training and cooperation is essential.
I take this opportunity to express my appreciation to all firefighters who, day in and day out, risk their lives to save other lives. Under the coordination of Secretary of State Raed Arafat, Romania has become an example of good practice in the field of civil protection at the European level.”
Recently, four wildfires affected more than 10 hectares of stubble in Neamţ county, in Girov, Pângărati and Petricani localities, in Neamţ county and in Răchiteni, a town in Ieşe, located in the intervention area of ISU Neamţ.
