«I take the director of the Department for cohesion policies, Dr. Palma, who has just finished telling us that the development and cohesion fund will be quickly released to the extent set nine months ago. This is important news that is beginning to unblock a series of interventions». Vincenzo De Luca, president of the Campania Region, does not miss the opportunity, in front of the representatives of the European Commission, of the regions and ministries that use the EU structural funds, to make public and “bind” the commitment that Michele Palma , head of the department of the Presidency of the Council for cohesion policies for a few months, spoke with De Luca himself before the director of the Dg Regio of the European Commission, Nicola De Michelis, responsible for Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain. De Luca spoke in the opening speech of the annual review meeting of the EU ERDF and ESF funds which was held in Naples on 30 and 31 March.
“A top priority”
“The blocking of the development and cohesion fund is a critical issue that we spoke regarding with the Commission representative – said De Luca – because these are resources necessary for the co-financing of European funds”. For Campania it is more than 5 billion, recalled De Luca. «They are also necessary resources for the northern regions – he underlined – this intervention can unblock everything. It’s a top priority.”
“May he be blessed if the commitment is kept – said De Luca once more ironically addressing Palma – may he be crucified if in two weeks’ time we are still waiting for the Cipess meeting which must release these 30 billion”.
EU funds have become substitutes for national ones
De Luca denounced how the European cohesion funds, created to bring the poorest regions closer to the EU average, “had to be additional to national funding” such as the development and cohesion fund. «But the years go by and more and more to a large extent they become substitutes for ordinary national resources. This is a problem that we allow ourselves to report to the European Commission, it is a crucial problem on which we must make a point”.
De Luca also expressed his doubts regarding Minister Fitto’s decision to abolish the Cohesion Agency: “I understand the meaning of it, but I believe that from an operational point of view it will cause some problems, including the lengthening of times”.
