Local authorities encouraged to access development funds

Prime Minister Vlad Filat announced that considerable amounts of money have been made available this year in development funds, instructing relevant central authorities to assist the local ones with developing projects for accessing these funds, the Government said in a statement. “The development funds aim to create new jobs, stimulate economic growth and improve services and infrastructure. Every leu allocated for this purpose should be put to good use”, the prime minister stated at a working meeting. According to Filat, the fund for regional development constitutes 174 million lei, for energy efficiency 179 million lei, for road rehabilitation 1.24 billion lei and for environment 210 million lei. Finance Minister Veaceslav Negruta noted that the local authorities in Chisinau municipality, Briceni district and the Gagauz autonomy, haven't yet approved their budgets for this year. Agriculture Minister Vasile Bumacov told the same meeting that this winter's frost could affect 30% of the autumn crops and that the government needed to buy 10,000 tonnes of wheat to supplement its reserves and ensure food security.