Deficiencies have been identified in the process of managing the financial resources of the National Regional Development Fund. The method of picking projects is also defective, says a report by the Court of Auditors on the management of the Fund that was presented at the meeting of the Parliament’s commission for public finance control, IPN reports.

The audit mission established that even if action was taken to improve the legislative and normative framework on regional development, no end result was produced. The local public authorities have reduced capacities to co-finance projects and the technical documentation of projects is insufficiently prepared.

According to the audit report, the major investments in projects that were to ensure the population’s access to drinking water didn’t produce the expected results. The sum of 43.1 million lei was inefficiently used to implement projects that didn’t continue.

The commission’s chairman Igor Munteanu said there are disproportions concerning the funds allocated for projects in different districts and no projects were implemented in some of the districts. In nine districts, not a single project was funded, while in one district there were financed four projects. 57% of the Fund’s resources were allocated only for seven districts.

According to the representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment, a new concept for the distribution of funds will be proposed so that the money is allocated for implementing national strategies, not depending on the wish of some of the beneficiary. The new concept for the selection and promotion of projects is to be presented by April.