Ministry: Launch of EU Funds and Public Procurement Act Amendment Mean Success

Banska Bystrica, December 19 (TASR) - The starting up of the EU funds, the amendment to the Public Procurement Act, and the intensification and improvement of communication between the Investment, Regional Development and Informatisation Ministry and local governments formed a key part of what the ministry has managed to achieve this year, Investment Minister Richard Rasi (Voice-SD) stated in Banska Bystrica on Thursday. Rasi assessed 2024 as a very successful year. The ministry hasn't been managed only from Bratislava, but the decisions they took have often been made in the regions, based on their demands. "Since the beginning of the year, we've begun to draw the new EU funds, which had been lagging far behind. The new EU funds period started in 2021, but when we joined the ministry, the situation was as follows: only 27 calls were announced, amounting to €1.3 billion, only 5 contracts were signed, and the absorption was zero. We've managed to announce this year 243 calls worth almost €8.5 billion, from 5 signed contracts we grew to 1,100 for €3.7 billion and from zero absorption to €345 million," stated Rasi. am