The Romanian authorities discussed in the beginning of June with European Commission officials their intention to reallocate EU funds worth of 84 million Euros to e-governing services in the e-Romania project. The funds were previously approved for broadband internet services, Communication ministry officials told HotNews.ro. The result?

The European Executive asked for an additional study to confirm the coverage area and the reasonability of tariffs for mobile broadband services that Romanian authorities and operators brag about, stressing the need for measures to make sure that these funds would not be necessary for broadband internet when there were other national projects to fund.

Communication Ministry reps told HotNews.ro that the decision to use the 84 million Euros to fund other important national programmes could be welcome, after making sure that the broadband operation implementation entailed by the programme was no longer necessary.

The National broadband strategy aims to cover internet broadband services all over Romania bu 2013. Nevertheless, Communication officials announced their intention to shift these funds towards projects targeting e-governance services, interconnected with future platform eRomania, the national project for public services.

Liberal Dan Georgescu, ex-communication regulation authority chief, accuses the ministry of attempting to misappropriate funds and to use the money escaping a close European Commission control. The Communication Ministry reps denied any such attempt today, during a seminar organised by the European Commission representatives in Romania, namely "A digital agenda for Europe".