• On 17.05.2023, the Arta Albă Editorial Office had a dialogue with Mr. Ovidiu Dogaru, consultant at SC Bouclier SRL. He gave us some clarifications regarding the program for granting non-refundable funds to economic operators.
1. At the end of April 2023, the official AFIR website presented the estimated launch calendar for the submission of funding applications regarding Pillar II of the PAC 2023-2027 Strategic Plan. Given that a single call for projects has been announced for 2023, what impact does this aspect have on economic operators?
Yes indeed, this Estimated Calendar of Funding Measures has been released which covers the entire period 2023-2027. As far as can be understood from the statements of the representatives AFIR, will be considered a single deposit session that will combine all non-reimbursable funds related to the entire period until 2027.
If the situation will remain in the form declared at the moment, the impact on economic agents will be a significant one, in the sense that there will be no other funds available starting next year, except to the extent that they will not be covered by the existing deposits within current year, although the request will be appropriately sized to cover the amounts.
From the signals we have from the market, this is expected. All those interested know this aspect, for which a large number of financing projects for non-reimbursable funds will be submitted. The impact will be major also due to the fact that, in the coming period, any newly established legal entity will no longer be able to access these funds, which will quickly run out. A company that is established in 2024 or 2025 will no longer be able to submit any application for funding.
2. Also in April, this time at the beginning of the month, the Redaccia Arta Albă sent to Ministry of European Investments and Projects a set of questions by which we request clarifications regarding the deadlines for accessing these non-reimbursable funds. I don't think it is necessary to point out that we are still waiting for answers to the questions. In your opinion, don't these communication syncopes also mean a way of procrastination?
There are communication lapses, but unfortunately they are absolutely common. This is not the first time we have such comments from our beneficiaries. As you probably know, there is a legal framework in which an institution of the state is obliged to respond to a petition or request.
It is possible to receive a response to your request, but there have been many instances where no response has been received, even after the statutory 30-day deadline has passed. We have beneficiaries for whom we have submitted requests for information, we have even submitted certain types of appeals that have not been answered until now, although the periods have far exceeded the 30 days. But it also depends on the nature of the questions being answered, whether it requires thorough documentation or is still a matter that could be easily answered.
3. How do you see the completion of this true epic? Will the economic operators finally receive the support they need so much, or will they be satisfied, as before, only with promises? This in the extremely difficult economic context for everyone, a context in which many, after waiting for the support measures, are forced to close their business.
The non-reimbursable financial support is unquestionable in our opinion. Practically, the problems that arise in the implementation of the projects are not related to the availability of sums of money, but to the effective approach by the management authorities to situations of various natures, some of them quite acute.
I would dare to state that the staff serving the managing authorities do not always have the best professional training and this is seen in the correspondence between the beneficiaries and the authorities and in the measures that the managing authorities take regarding the implementation of the projects , often to the detriment of the beneficiaries.
4. Do you think that the amounts allocated will be sufficient to see concrete results at the level of the targeted economic sectors? Can we hope for eventual stability in the future?
I don't think we can hope for an additional amount of money. And these amounts represent very little of the concrete needs of the economy in general. And if we were to refer to the funds related to the agricultural sector and, in particular, milling and baking, they are absolutely insufficient for the urgent needs of the mentioned sectors.
5. Romania has benefited from European funds since 2007, since its accession to the EU. There are 15 years in which there should have been expertise in operating with this instrument, extremely important in the development of a country. Is it just our impression or the authorities that manage the various financing programs from the European budget, seem constantly outdated and always remain correct in this chapter as well? The absorption level for the period 2014-2020 was a maximum of 60%.
Is anyone responsible for these syncopes? Why the Czech Republic achieved almost 100% absorption, Poland 90%, Hungary also recorded a high level. Why Romania can't, doesn't want to, doesn't succeed?
These details are very important to mention and the explanation of the high degree of absorption of other countries in the European Union, compared to our country, lies in the fact that the professionalism of those who manage these non-reimbursable funds here leaves much to be desired.
At the same time, the interest shown in achieving the highest degree of absorption is very low. This is the explanation of the fact that there is a significant percentage gap in absorption in other countries, compared to Romania.
This aspect has been brought up countless times in various approaches - conferences, video conferences - but, from the concrete nature of the unfolding of events and the implementation of certain projects, we find that, in fact, these were some sterile discussions that did not have a result concretely measurable.
The video version of the interview can be watched here:
Interview conducted by Gabriela Dan, Editor of Arta Albă
Read on White Art and: Estimated calendar for submitting funding applications
