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Romanian Government to ask for the support of EIB to develop some public-private partnership projects
The Romanian Government intends to ask for the support of the European Investment Bank (EIB) in the next period to develop some public-private partnership (3P) projects and to begin talks on the energy efficiency projects in the public sector, that might be co-financed through the Juncker Plan, a release by the government says.
"We'd like to start the long of our tenure a series of projects that could bear first fruit soon. For instance, we have a plan of a pilot-project for a 3P kind of hospital," Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos said upon meeting on Tuesday with EIB President Werner Hoyer in the context of the ceaseless support the bank has given to Romania in the past 25 years with impact outcome for the national economy.
The two high officials have addressed several essential topics for Romania, from the point of view of the collaboration with the EIB.
Therefore, the prime minister has underlined the importance of the new Memorandum of understanding between the Government and the EIB, inked at end-2015, through which Romania is to receive technical assistance for a series of European funds programmes, as well as for the sensitive field of public procurement.
Moreover, preparations are advanced for two new loans to cofinance European funds worth 1.3 billion euros.
The two high officials also talked about the takeover of the EIB deputy president position by Cristian Popa, which's candidacy is officially backed by the Romanian Government at the proposition of the Public Finances Ministry. The Romanian side has transmitted it appreciates Hoyer's support for this candidacy, as Popa is a highly esteemed economist in Romania and well-known internationally; he is a former deputy governor of the National Bank of Romania (the central bank).
The talks were attended by Vice Premier Costin Borc, Minister of Public Finances Anca Dragu, and by Flavio Schiavo Campo, head of the EIB office in Bucharest.
EIB President Hoyer paid a visit to Romania on Tuesday to discuss the bank's engagement in the country and explore opportunities to provide greater support for long-term investment to accelerate economic development in Romania and improve the quality of life of the country's citizens.
EIB loan signatures in 2015 amounted to 228 million euros, bringing the total lending volume in Romania over the past five years (2011-2015) to 2.6 billion euros. In recent years the EIB has supported investment across all major sectors of the economy, including transport, communications, energy and the environment, development of a knowledge economy and increasing access to finance for small and medium-sized companies through local financial institutions partners.