Romanian PM requests more jobs for authorities managing EU funds

Miercuri, 24 martie 2010, 19:06 English | Business

Romanian Prime-Minister Emil Boc has asked Finance minister Sebastian Vladescu to find a way to provide additional posts for the authorities managing European funds. The decision follows the action taken by the mass media, in particular HotNews.ro and NGOs that have repeatedly pointed out on the insufficient staff hired by these institutions.

One week ago, at the Video Seminar set up by HotNews.ro, officials declared that two or three people only had to manage thousands of contracts for managing authorities for structural funds. This issue developed into passionate debates between these and the private sector. Later, the Romanian Centre for European policies has addressed an open latter to the PM on the matter.

"I will ask Finance minister Sebastian Vladescu to discuss with each credit manager and especially with each management authority to increase the number [of employees] by five for each department facing problems", Boc declared in today's Government session.

Increasing the number of staff might be possible through a memorandum or through another distribution of the roles in ministries. The PM added that it was also necessary to find a new way to increase the number of staff with the managing authorities, so that the "bureaucratic mechanisms that could get in the way" are eliminated.

Emil Boc noted that a maximum of 100 jobs had to be created. He asked the Finance minister to solve this issue in one week.