Romania's experience in EU integration process. Romanian consultant for European funds says mayors should unite to carry out joint projects

Romania’s experience in the European integration process shows the benefits of the accession to the European Union. On its way to the European Union, Romania developed intensely with long-lasting effects and a catalyst of these transformations represented the European funds allocated for the development of regions. A consultant for European funds from Romania, Monica Dinu, says that there a ‘’recipe’’ for the projects implemented with European financing and that the most important benefit is that you can attract this financing for developing the region. In an interview given exclusively with MOLDPRES, Monica Dinu shared her experience of turning to good account the European funds.    

                     „There a kind of recipe for the projects with European financing’’

Monica Dinu, consultant for European funds from Romania, explained the most important steps which the initiator of a project with European financing is to take, either he/she is a private person or a legal entity or a local authority.   

Monica Dinu: „As for the projects with European financing, there is a kind of recipe; yet, the most important thing is that the one who writes the project is quite well-documented, understands very well what they want to get from the project. The documentation means what people want from the concerned sector, locally, regionally, nationally and worldly. The project must be written, so that it has value in five years as well. Why? As because, for instance, I want to modernize a factory, then I should take a technological line, which presently is widely used, but it will surely be obsolete in five years. This is as technological principle. And then I should go and see which the most advanced technologies are in the field and to set to buy namely that technological line. As I will buy it in approximately three years, as the European projects have a pretty long time of carrying out. Or, then I should be above the average a bit, so as to be efficient and resilient. This would be as a recipe, in order to keep the innovative element. And this does not mean an invention, but something which is new and there isn’t in your region, but it is somewhere in the world and the projects brings it home to you.’’           

                                „People should not lose their enthusiasm’’

The key of the success of a project is in the people’s hands, Monica Dinu says. The consultant for European funds says that, besides the financial means, the project needs to be fueled also from spiritual sources, such as people’s wish to see the goals achieved, the enthusiasm with which they work in this project. The confidence in one’s own forces should accompany them during the entire process of the project’s implementation.   

Monica Dinu: „Any project, if we refer to the Bugeac Euro-region, convinced me that such projects appear from people’s wish and because the region already has a certain homogeneity. Certainly, work would be also necessary, and the people should not lose their enthusiasm meanwhile. This is a long way and you get tired, when you run a lot. Or, somebody from the group and probably alternatively, through certain persons, should rediscover that enthusiasm, in order to convey it to the group, so that it should be understood that any long and tormenting road has success. So that they understand that, in ten years, they achieve the result expected.’’         

           „Romania witnessed an incredible development due to the European funds’’  

The financial means from the country’s budget are not enough, in order to reconstruct objects of social importance in a certain community. The European funds provide wider possibilities to fulfill these intentions, giving the consultant of financing a certain freedom in the project’s management, Monica Dinu said. The consultant for European funds noted that, due to the EU’s financing, Romania had witnessed an ‘’incredible’’ development.’’     

Monica Dinu: „Many people, who have already left for the West, were telling how good there is and I thought that maybe it is not so bad, if we want to live as people live there. Or, beyond this, Romania witnessed an incredible development due to the European funds and the European support as regards the modernization of the legislation. We feel this and maybe sometimes we do not realize, but we still go to other countries which are not in the European Union and we immediately realize how much Romania has grown. The other thing is that you, as country, can use the European funds just as you feel the need; the rules do not come from Brussels. You create your own strategy and ask for money and somebody analyzes and you receive it. For instance, in Romania, several hundreds of churches have been restored through European funds in the last ten years, which would not have any chance otherwise. The national funds are poor, the donations do not amount to the sums necessary for the restoration of a church.’’      

                                 „Mayors should unite to carry out joint projects.’’

Moldova can develop sustainably, just as Romania, with the European Union’s financial support, through the allocation of funds for projects’ implementation. In this respect, according to Monica Dinu, it is important that mayors give priority to the regional development goals, uniting for carrying out a project jointly.    

Monica Dinu: „Moldova’s chance consists in the attraction of European funds. This is your chance, if you cooperate between you for the attraction of funds, especially for bigger projects, for instance, a road, if a central public authority does it. Yet, a road which provides connection between three-four settlements, a road which would be of local level, can be done only if those communities unite into a project. Maybe the mayors have different political colours, but I hope that they will agree, so as to unite and carry out such joint projects.’’       

                                          „The European Union is what unites us’’  

It will be easier for Moldova to integrate into EU with Romania’s support, Monica Dinu says. At the same time, the consultant for European funds showed appreciation for the Moldovan authorities’ efforts to turn to good account the cross-border projects and deepen the relations with the neighbour countries – Romania and Ukraine.    

Monica Dinu: „The European Union is something that unites everybody, which is combined with the slogan of the European Union, United through Diversity. I.e. you are from where you are, but you do not lose your identity. You are also Moldovan, you will speak the same language, but which will be understood by another 27 states. I appreciate very much what you do here, as you are strong united. The nicest European policy is the one from which you have already benefited, the neighbourhood one. You feel good, if your neighbour feels good, or I believe that this is best thing that can be – the value of the humanity in essence. It will be easier for Moldova to integrate into the European Union, as it is a smaller country and probably because it will enjoy an additional support on behalf of Romania.’’     

Author: Lilia Grubii