Local Authorities Want to Meet with Constitutional Officials on EU Funds Freeze

Partizanske, 23 June (TASR) - Local authorities have asked the government to cancel the decision to freeze €200 million in European Union (EU) funds, representatives of the Slovak Towns and Villages Association (ZMOS), the Slovak Towns Union (UMS) and the Self-governing Regions Association (SK8) stated at a press conference in Partizanske (Trencin region) on Monday, adding that they want to meet with the three most senior constitutional officials, and if the meeting is not successful, they will approach the European Parliament. ZMOS chairman Jozef Bozik reiterated that he considers the decision to freeze the EU funds as unfair and a negative signal in the relationship between local authorities and the government, claiming that Investments, Regional Development and Informatisation Minister Samuel Migal (Independent) guaranteed him that the local authorities won't lose the funds. "We want to address this issue because this isn't money for mayors and governors, this is money for the inhabitants of our towns, municipalities and self-governing regions," said Bozik, adding that questioning local authorities for not doing so should be done primarily by the citizens who live in them. SK8 head Jozef Viskupic also rejected the criticism of the slow absorption of funds, identifying the problem as the delay in the preparation of the programming period, preferentially announced demand-oriented calls and long checks. "The total allocation of integrated territorial investments stands at €1.4 billion, the value of approved projects and plans is €870 million, or 72 percent. The real target for the end of this year is 85 percent, the submitted applications for non-refundable funds are in the amount of €522 million, approved applications only €193 million, which means that the projects are ready, there's interest and the money can be directed, but without calls and without the checks of public procurement, nothing will move," said Viskupic. At a press conference on Monday, UMS head Richard Rybnicek told the government that local authorities aren't civil servants and aren't subordinate to the government, but are partners who are directly elected by the citizens. "We need to speed up the absorption of EU funds. No, we need to speed up the bureaucracy in the state, which is the responsibility of the ministries and the premier," he said. am/mcs