“AMR represents over 50 percent of Romania’s population and over 70 percent of GDP. Regarding GDP, 95 percent of it is realized in municipalities and cities. PNRR is a solution that brings us a lot of money, but not enough.

In Buzau we brought 82 million euros from European funds, and in this wave of renovation we managed to get 95 million euros only for the renovation and rehabilitation of 40 blocks. Buzau has 450 blocks and we will never be able to rehabilitate all the blocks with this money, and there we lose a lot of energy.

Unfortunately, PNRR contains very few solutions to the waste problem, namely those voluntary platforms and eco islands. Waste in Romania means 60 percent biodegradable materials, but in PNRR no technology is funded in this regard,” Constantin Toma, Executive President AMR, Mayor of Buzau said during Romania’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan Conference 2022 organized by The Diplomat-Bucharest.

“In Buzau we have a transition strategy from the linear economy to the circular economy. We have a recycling rate below 10 percent and we pay one million euros annually as a tax on the circular economy. We do not have legislation on the technique of anaerobic digestion to produce biogas and compost, and therefore we import 100 percent compost from Hungary, Poland and other countries.

In the fight against Russia, which uses oil and gas as weapons, we should find alternative energy sources with the help of PNRR funds and other operational programs.

Local communities in Romania need to become more attractive and competitive. Romania has lost about 6 million people now working abroad.

We have set goals on the four pillars of community development: economy, education, social and cultural. Last year I won the title of the best city brand in Europe after a final with Paris.

We are currently working on a textbook for the circular economy that we are trying to introduce in all schools in Buzau. Waste legislation is a great vulnerability for Romania. There must be competition between Romanian cities to attract European funds and increase the quality of life so that people do not leave the country and stay here.

We all want to get over the problems and unite for the development of Romania. I am convinced that we will be able to take as much of the funds available through PNRR as possible.”

Full recording of the conference here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5f1JNCEe-I&t=5504s