Enhancing Capacities for EU Fund Absorption: Expert Calls for Strengthening Institutional Abilities in Moldova

Expert Mihai Mogâldea from the Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE) has highlighted the importance of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) as an excellent platform for the Republic of Moldova to benefit from EU projects. In this context, Mogâldea suggests that the Moldovan government should expand its institutional capacities for absorbing European funds, according to IPN.

“In the context of all European programs, we need to develop dedicated units within each ministry to manage the entire process of application, implementation, and reporting for these projects. Currently, the State Chancellery is responsible for these aspects. The Ministry of Finance plays a crucial role in managing external assistance, but we must understand that we are transitioning to a different stage in terms of attracting foreign funds. This requires more people involved and a broader institutional capacity. It is necessary for the government to strategize how we can increase the capacity to absorb and manage these funds. Moldova should come up with its own initiatives instead of waiting for proposals from Romania or other countries to enhance our level of interconnectivity. For instance, the Municipality of Ungheni has a team of four individuals dedicated to writing projects for a not-so-large city. Therefore, it is achievable at the local level, indicating that we can adopt a similar approach at the national level,” stated Mihai Mogâldea, the IPRE expert.

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The Connecting Europe Facility serves as a platform to support Moldova’s integration into the EU’s single market and promotes economic growth, job creation, and competitiveness.

“It is clear that with this mechanism for interconnecting Europe, more investments will come to the Republic of Moldova, benefiting our citizens. Moldova must capitalize on all available opportunities during this transitional period to ensure that citizens can experience the benefits of the accession process to the European Union as soon as possible. Within these programs, we do not need to invest significant amounts of money ourselves; instead, we receive funds from the EU that we must effectively utilize. This mechanism serves as a preparatory phase for the population to adapt to the subsequent status of EU membership. Gradually, we are starting to understand what this status entails,” explained Mihai Mogâldea.