The European Council rejected at the end of last week Slovakia’s proposal to get a one-year extension on unpaid bills from the 2007-2013 EU budget, to 2016. Slovakia’s proposal was also supported by Romania, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic.

All the four countries got was more “assistance” from the European Commission to speed the absorption of funds in 2015, the last year they can submit bills for the funds, according to EUobserver, reports local Ziarul Financiar.

The absorption rate of EU funds (for the 2007-2013 period) amounted to 45.49% in Romania as of December 12, according to data posted on the Ministry of European Funds’ website.

Romania had a total of EUR 19.2 billion in EU funds allotted for the 2007-2013 period.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com