Priorities set for the EU projects co-financing
On Tuesday, July 28, after serious discussions among coalition partners the Government adopted Minutes-Decision of the Cabinet of Ministers (CoM) sitting on re-distribution of resources in 2009 within the budget sub-programme of the Ministry of Finance (MoF) “Financing for implementation of projects and measures co-financed from the European Union policy instruments and other foreign financial assistance” prepared by the MoF and important for the current economic situation.
The Government decided to avoid the principle “first come; first served” in allocation of limited financing available within the sub-programmed in amount of 52.4 million lats in the programming period 2007 – 2013 for the European Union (EU) structural funds and Cohesion Fund projects because current needs are more than the available financing. To achieve as effective use of limited resources as possible the Government after long and detailed evaluation of the EU fund activities set current priorities for allocation of the financing.
The emphasis is put on the EU fund activities within the framework of which projects are implemented by municipal institutions and companies, as well as on activities relieving the social tension and heating the economy (including financial mechanisms).
Financing in amount of nearly 20 million lats (40%) has been allocated to the Social Fund or social cushion activities administered by the Ministry of Welfare, Ministry of Education and Science and Ministry of Economics (MoE) which are mainly oriented towards relieving the social tension and prevention of unemployment.
For the EU fund activities within the framework of which projects are implemented by municipal institutions and companies approximately 10.8 million lats have been allocated, including the activity under the guidance of the Ministry of Regional Development and Local Government “Promotion of National and Regional Centre Growth for Balanced State Developed”.
The Government agreed also on allocation of the financing in amount of 1.16 million lats for measures aimed at improving heat insulation of houses and improving efficiency of the centralized heat supply system managed by the MoE, and also a possibility has been provided this year to channel 20 million lats for guarantees to improve competitiveness of entrepreneurs.
The decision of the Government will facilitate more rapid improvement of the economic situation in Latvia. Institutions and project implementers are asked to facilitate as fast money resources circulation as possible and qualitative project implementation.
Information prepared by:
Agnese Beļkeviča
Press Division
Phone: 67083938,
Agnese.Belkevica@fm.gov.lv
