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Arad and Bekes counties sign partnership to attract European funds to develop infrastructure in cross border area
The presidents of Arad and Bekes (Hungary) County Councils signed on Tuesday, a partnership to attract European funds for road infrastructure in the cross border area. The Romanian party will access financing of 13 million euros for 100 km of county roads, among which a beltway for Curtici.
Four counties from Romania and four from Hungary can attract European funds by means of Interreg Programme. Presidents of Arad and Bekes County Councils signed a partnership by which they will request financing to rehabilitate road infrastructure. They were the first counties that chose that field.
By signing this partnership consider strategic, Arad County Council will access about 13 million euros to rehabilitate 100 km of county roads between Nadlac and Varsand, along the border with the neighbour country. Some segments will be built from scratch, among which a beltway for the town of Curtici, which connects DN 7 and DN 79.
“Now we have another project for infrastructure, worth 35 million euros. Together with the 13 millions we will have attracted about 50 million euros. However, this new project solves the situation of less than 10% of the 1,200 km of county roads we administer and we will have to find financial resources for other sections,” said Iustin Cionca, the president of Arad County Council.
His counterpart from Bekes, Zalai Mihaly showed “the importance of the collaboration between the two counties to attract European funds.”
He pointed to the fact that Interreg Programme, launched in 2013 is put in practice a few years later.
“The legislative frame in the field of the two countries and administrative changes in Hungary, which led to the modification of competences of local administration, are two main causes. However, since I have been president of Bekes County Council (October 2014), I have dealt with identifying community needs according to priorities, consultations, talks with counterparts from the other counties. Everything for being able to access European funds,” Zalai Mihaly said.
Sergiu Bilcea, the vicepresident of Arad County Council, added that a road corridor connecting the towns of Nadlac, Pecica, Curtici and Chisineu Cris will be created.