Local authorities encouraged to establish regional development partnerships

By May 10, the local public authorities of the first and second levels are to submit draft regional development projects within the second call for project proposals launched by the Ministry of Regional Development and Construction on March 27, Info-Prim Neo reports. Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Construction Veaceslav Gututui said the projects that will be selected by contest will be financed with money from the National Regional Development Fund for 2013 – 2015. The projects must center on the rehabilitation of infrastructure, support for the development of the private sector, especially in rural areas, and improvement of the environment factors and tourist attractiveness. The financing will vary between 1 million and 100 million lei. “We encourage the applicants to submit project proposals in concert with the local public authorities and other public institutions by establishing partnerships and associations. A round of training seminars will be held to inform about the conditions for participating in the contest of projects,” said the deputy minister. After the first call for regional project proposals was launched in 2010, there were chosen 128 projects. Fifty-six of them received financing from the National Regional Development Fund. They will be carried out in 2010-2012. A number of 36 regional development projects are now implemented, 31 of which are financed by the Fund, while five by the German Agency for International Development (GIZ).