Rasi Appeals for Unblocking of €200 mn for Local Authorities as Only Solution

Bratislava, 3 July (TASR) - The only possible solution in the case of blocked EU funds for local authorities is to unblock an amount of €200 million, stated Parliamentary Chair Richard Rasi (Voice-SD) on Thursday following a meeting with representatives of local authorities, adding that the block threatens development in the regions and also puts Slovakia in breach of the terms of the agreement with the European Union (EU). "If we want to have EU funds for the regions after 2027, we can't scrap the basic assumption that the regions decide on the money themselves. That's why there's a Government Council for Regional Development and EU Cohesion Policy at which all the changes that are to be made should be consulted in advance. If that had been done, no proposal would have come to the government taking money away from the regions without them even knowing about it. The regions are ready to draw European money," stressed the House chair. According to him, funds belonging to the regions and decided on by the regions themselves were one of the basic conditions for receiving new EU funds for 2021-2027. These funds are unique in that they are decided by the regions, towns and municipalities and that these entities take full responsibility, added Rasi. The head of Parliament met on Thursday representatives of the Interior Ministry, the Slovak Towns and Villages Association (ZMOS), the Slovak Towns Union (UMS) and the Self-governing Regions Association (SK8). am/df