The release of the funds comes in the context in which it blocked its payments at the end of the year, in order to keep the budget deficit under control.

Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu stated that payments can be made within the “Anghel Saligny” program and for the National Investment Company.

Ciolacu: “I made this promise to the mayors”

“Today we come and concretely prove how, by keeping state expenses under control through the ordinance with fiscal budgetary measures, we ensure that important public investment projects can continue. We approve by memorandum the necessary exemptions so that central and especially local authorities can make payments especially for the national public interest construction program run by the National Investment Company and the “Anghel Saligny” National Program”, announced Ciolacu, at the beginning of the meeting Government.

He added that, in this way, the funds for the payment of outstanding bills are provided to the mayors.

“I made this promise to the mayors. It is only natural that we do not jeopardize their whole year’s work. We keep our word, we provide them with funds to pay the outstanding invoices and the guarantee that they can settle payments in the future”, said the prime minister.

What the statistics show

Adrian Veștea, the Minister of Development, said after the Government meeting that he needs 3 billion lei to catch up with payments. The official detailed after the Government meeting the status of projects and payments:

  • National Investment Company (CNI) – manages and implements 1,151 projects, with a value of 15 billion lei. To date, the amount of 3.5 billion lei has been settled, and the payments are made until August 8; there is a remaining payment of 800 million lei.
  • National Local Development Program (PNDL) 1 and 2 – there are 11,543 contracts, with a value of 46 billion lei. So far, 8,102 contracts have been received and 3,441 contracts are still being implemented. The total settled amounts to 40.6 billion lei, there is a balance to be settled in the next period, as the works progress, of 5.8 billion. Payments are made until September 15, there are delays in the payment of 415 million lei.
  • Angel Saligny program – there are 5,304 ministerial orders issued, of which 2,607 projects are signed. The settlement is made by September 15, there is a remaining payment of 1.85 billion lei.
  • On the National Recovery and Resilience Program (PNRR), the Ministry of Development has 6,627 contracts, worth 32.7 billion lei. So far payments have been made for 4,842. According to the minister, payments are made daily, but the payments are not up to date, the delay being 2-3 weeks.