PM Boc declared on Tuesday night for TVR 1, the public television that it was not the EU that requested the territorial reorganization of Romania but it was us who asked for the reform, to facilitate the absorption of EU funds. He said that counties are too small now to ask for big funds and if the country would be split in bigger counties it could attract, each, funds of up to 3 billion euro.

Here are his most important statements

  • This reorganization is not made for any political party but it is meant to modernize and reform Romania 
  • The citizen is the winner 

  • The advantages of our proposals: state’s institutions will be closer to the citizen, the bureaucracy will be simplified, we will cut costs with the state’s functioning, deconstruct a nepotistic system and a better absorption of EU funds  

  • We request the territorial reorganization to facilitate EU funds 

  • Counties are to small to receive bigger EU funds and if the country has bigger regions, each big region could get up to 3 billion euro from EU funds  

  • Talks continue with our governing partners, the Hungarian Democrats and we are trying to explain all the characteristics of the reorganization project 

  • A decision regarding the project will be taken in the coalition Positions are completely different but this does not mean that we will ot have a constructive dialogue.  

  • About Schengen, PM Boc said he is optimistic that by Fall Romania will receive a positive answer. 

  • Our option is to join in October but there is also an option to join in stages.