Economy and Finance Minister Varujan Vosganian declared on Friday that he expects Romania to absorb in 2008 some 3.5 - 3 billion euro worth of European funds, after benefiting from only 1.5 billions in 2007, NewsIn informs.

"From the point of view of institutions, the thing are prepared. We introduced in the 2008 budget draft an absorption rate between 2.5 and 3 billion euro", said Vosganian.

Vosganian mentioned that the funds attracted to Romania in its first year after the accession to the EU will be larger than the sum it owes, as a EU member, to the community budget.

Romania must pay annually a figure of some 1% of the gross national product, representing some 1.1 billion euro in 2007.