Romania To Access 500 Mln Euro in ISPA Funds in 2009 - Deputy Fin Min

"The ISPA funds absorbed in 2008 will be more than 350 million euro, and in 2009 we will access approximately 500 million euro," the Finance and Economy Ministry press office on Sunday quoted Teodorovici as saying.

Romania, which joined the EU last year, stands to receive some 20 billion euro through the bloc's structural and cohesion funds between 2007 and 2013. Payments through pre-accession facilities are set to cease next year.

President Traian Basescu has blamed the Liberal-led minority government for the less than effective EU money absorption and has urged the authorities to step up spending on the development of Romania's poor infrastructure and transportation systems.

($ = 0.7261 euro)