The European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, stated in Alba Iulia on the occasion of the signing of the 2021-2027 Partnership Agreement between the European Commission and Romania, that the funds allocated will enable the construction of a more modern Romania.
Addressing discrepancies between Bucharest-Ilfov and other regions in Romania, as well as between large cities and neighboring areas, will contribute to increasing the country’s competitiveness, as in this way an important part of the population and the territory will not be left behind. So this will increase, as a whole, the country’s performance and its competitiveness, exploiting its full potential. This is our ambition and the goal of our joint effort. (…) Together, we will build a more modern Romania. The plans are good, and now is the time for action, stated Elisa Ferreira.
Elisa Ferreira expressed her thanks in Romanian, on behalf of the European Commission, for the Romanian response to the Ukraine refugee crisis, adding that the effort of the Romanians is also supported by European funds, and declared herself honored to find herself in a historic city like Alba Iulia.
European funds are a stimulus, said Ferreira, and the Romanians must know where they want to go, they must have the right administration and correct decision-making processes.
Based on the partnership agreement, the EU will grant money for the digital transition, supporting innovative companies that introduce new products or new methods of producing traditional goods to the market, for the digitization of public services, but also more than 7 billion euros for improving job access and skills, especially for young people.
The programs will also contribute to solving one of Romania’s most pressing problems in the field of education: early dropout. Romanian children have a lot of potential, so the cohesion policy will invest in each child, discovering their potential and making them like school. It will train teachers, she said.
Elisa Ferreira welcomed the Government’s decision to decentralize the implementation of investments. She mentioned that Romania is a very diverse country, and European investments must respond to local and regional needs.
According to her, 2 billion euros will be invested in the Just Transition Fund, so that communities that are dependent on coal or industries that use fossil fuels discover new opportunities.
Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca, also present at the signing ceremony of the agreement, stated that it is a program of approximately 45 billion euros, of which approximately 31 billion are European funds, and 14 billion are national funds. The money will be allocated to develop transport infrastructure, in the fields of health, sustainable development, smart development and digitalization, educational programs, inclusion and social dignity.
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