USR PLUS wants debate on local development programme, clear criteria for granting public money

Save Romania Union - Freedom, Unity, Solidarity Party (USR PLUS) states that it will not support "a new PNDL [the National Local Development Programme] with allocations on paper" and supports the organization of a broad debate on the local development programme. "USR PLUS supports the development of rural localities in Romania, but not through PNDL-type programmes that mean wasting public money on political criteria. The money from PNDL 1 and 2 has reached the pockets of local barons. We do not want to be involved in replicating the discretionary allocation practices of money to party clientele and heedless investments that haven't led to real rural development anywhere. Despite public statements, there has been no coalition agreement on this programme. USR PLUS supports the organization of a broad debate on the local development programme so as not to repeat what PSD has done. There are already a number of EFOR recommendations that we need to take into account in order to get results," reads a USR PLUS press release. According to the same source, the structures of local public authorities should be consulted about the real investment needs they have at the moment and the local capacity to support these investments. "Given what happened to PNDL 1 and 2, we can no longer squander people's money, so USR PLUS demands very clear criteria for granting public money and a transparent mechanism for selecting projects that do not depend on the political will of the Minister of Development. Local development is done only with local co-financing for any kind of investment from the national budget.USR PLUS has already requested in the Government meeting an evaluation of the results of PNDL 1 and 2 and proposes the resumption of the topic at the next coalition meeting with figures on the table," the release mentions. AGERPRES (RO - author: Irinela Visan, editor: Florin Marin; EN - editor: Simona Iacob)