Several viable projects to improve people’s living standards and respond to their needs in the Development Region South are foreseen in Stefan Voda and Causeni

On 29 March, local public authorities level I and II representatives from Stefan Voda and Causeni rayons participated in the second information session organised by the Regional Development Agency South within the Call of Proposals for regional development projects for 2017-2020 with Ministry of Regional Development and Construction support.

The event took place in Stefan Voda with more than 50 participants. The Ministry of Regional Development and Construction was represented by Sergiu Cecan, head of Division for Relations with the Regional Development Institutions.

At the meeting, the representatives of the Ministry for Regional Development and Construction and RDA South informed the participant LPA level I and II from Stefan Voda and Causeni rayons on the general framework, specifics and stages of the call of proposals, requirements on the filling in the project documentation, stages of submitting and evaluation the projects, user guidelines which is to be strictly followed, concept note, complete funding request and other process related aspects.

Also, the mayors of eligible settlements and rayon presidents got acquainted with the role and responsibilities of all parties involved in project implementation. Information was also provided as to the sectors that qualify for funding: road infrastructure, water supply and sanitation, environmental improvement, business infrastructure development, enhancing tourist attraction and energy efficiency in public buildings. The organisers gave exact information on minimal and maximal allocation of funding sources from NFRD for each sector.

Nicolae Molozea, Stefan Voda rayon president, chairman of Regional Development Council South and host of the meeting, wished to all mayors from two rayons and his counterpart from Causeni success in solving all existing problems at local level with the support that is to be allocated from NFRD.

‘We must strive to use NFRD resources allocated for 2017-2020 in a most effective and rational way and benefit from this. In this context, the workshop organised by RDA South helps the potential applicants to find out the application rules, priorities for funding and types of eligible projects within this competition’, Stefan Voda president told the invitees.

In the opening, Maria Culesov, RDA South director welcomed the presence of LPA level I and II heads from invited rayons, expressing the trust that the local public authorities will participate more actively in the new Call of Porposals. Also, Mrs. Culesov stated, that she hopes LPAs level I and II will show not only a burning desire to develop and modernize the infrastructure and services in the communities, but also, prove abilities of managing regional development projects.

‘From now on, until 3 May 2016, you are expected to get more actively involved and cooperate closer, joining our efforts for the same cause – development of Development Region South of which Stefan Voda and Causeni rayons are also part’, stated, Maria Culesov RDA South director.
Eligible project must comply with the National Strategy for Regional Development requirements and Regional Development Strategy for South for 2016-2020 priorities.

Also, Maria Culesov specified that this is why the ‘call for proposals’ formula was replaced with ‘competition of proposals’.
‘The competition this year differs from the similar activities carried out in previous years. Our desire is that this time, based on our earlier experience and the support provided by the Agency to local public authorities in all these six years to build capacities in developing concept notes and project documentation we have a real competition. Focusing on quality, we are going to select only viable projects, which respond to the needs of our citizens, improve the living standards of communes and cities and develop Region South as a whole’.

During the meeting, RDA South specialists including Eugen Lupascu, head of project management unit; Sergiu Andronache, specialist in project development, monitoring and implementation; Viorica Cutitaru, specialist in international relations and investment attraction; Andrei Tocaru, a GIZ advisor, presented implementation practices of projects during 2011-2015 (NFRD/GIZ) and provided explanations as to the new user guidelines for applicants. They, also, referred to other important details, such as, deadline for concept notes submission and of complete funding requests, which are to be strictly followed.