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 €146 million for connectivity projects in the Balkans // Arad: New President elected

Hot Issue Nr. 399


Commissoner Hahn at Paris Western Balkan Summit:


 146 Mio. € for connectivity projects in the Balkans


The European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn has recently announced the release of €146 million for projects linked to connectivity in the Balkans during the Western Balkan Summit in Paris. “We have decided to provide €96 million for 3 railway infrastructure projects in Serbia, Albania and in Kosovo. We will also provide €50 million for greening measures such as energy efficiency in residential buildings and small-scale hydro projects”, he said at the Balkans summit Business Forum.

Hahn also stated that connectivity is not just about building new infrastructure but about ensuring the best use of infrastructure. “Investment without reforms makes little sense”, he said, underlining that the countries in the region should respect the commitments taken, especially on reform measures concerning transport and energy.

“The connectivity agenda has the potential to improve the competitiveness of the region by reducing the costs for businesses when goods are moved through the region. That potential will only be fully met if all the identified reforms are implemented in full whilst countries focus their limited fiscal space on the most important investment priorities”, Hahn concluded.



picture: SN/EPA


After the Local Elections in Arad, Romania:

 Make full Use of EU-Funds

A new president was elected in the IRE Member Region Arad after the local elections in Romania on 5 June 2016. Iustin Cionca of the National Liberal Party PNL will hold the office of county president for the next four years. Representatives of local authorities, the 41 counties and the capital Bucharest were elected. 
"My priority for the next legislative period is to invest in all areas accessing European funds. So far, the county has not made full use of this potential," said Cionca in an interview.

The former Romanian Minister of Labour and Member of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies Claudia Boghicevici (PNL) and former councillor Sergiu Bîlcea (PNL) were elected vice-presidents. "Working at regional level will be a new experience for me, but it was a conscious choice and I look forward to the challenges. I want to build a foundation for infrastructure projects and social services to increase the quality of life in Arad "said Claudia Boghicevic to the news portal Ziare.

Arad county borders with Hungary in the west and has a population of  430.629 (2011). The county is member of the IRE network since 2008.


 


New Issue of the IRE-Magazine Newsregion:

European Investment, Elections and EU Accession

The new issue of the IRE-Magazine Newsregion was published last week and tackles topics such as Strategic Investment, Bosnia’s EU accession process and past regional elections.

Have a sneak peak:

 

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