The Anghel Saligny national investment scheme is facing a financial blockage, after the funds allocated for paying invoices were exhausted as early as July 18, said development minister Cseke Attila, Ziarul Financiar reported.
Securing proper financing under the scheme is one of the conditions outlined by the interim leader of the Social Democratic Party, PSD, Sorin Grindeanu, for returning to the ruling coalition’s meeting.
To keep all the projects under the scheme appropriately funded requires at least RON 4.5 billion (EUR 900 million) or over 0.2% of GDP, minister Attila said.
The scheme was envisaged to be RON 10 billion (EUR 2 billion) for this year, out of which RON 3.6 billion is for paying overdue invoices issued in 2024, but the works contracted by the local administration require a budget almost three times higher for this year: some RON 18 billion.
This is only one of the budget chapters significantly underfunded under the 2025 budget planning sketched by the government in January.
The minister of development said a budget supplement of approximately RON 4.5 billion is needed to continue all projects carried out under the scheme. These funds could be identified during the budget rectification, through reallocations from other ministries, he stated.
“The solution is that, when the budget is adjusted, resources from other ministries should be redistributed, or these ministries can reallocate funds for the Anghel Saligny program at any time. According to simulations carried out at the ministry, the amount needed to continue not only the 1,600 projects that respect the established completion rate, but all projects, is RON 4.5 billion.”
iulian@romania-insider.com
(Photo source: Facebook/Cseke Attila)
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