The Romanian authorities will develop a research park near Bucharest with an initial investment of EUR 17.5 million.

The facility, called Magurele Science Park, will be located near the building that hosts the most powerful laser in Europe, the ELI-NP project.

The science park will initially start on a 5-hectare land plot aiming to expand to 16 hectares by the time it will be completed, local Ziarul Financiar reported. Of the EUR 17.5 million budget, EUR 2 million has been recently secured from EU funds, according to Ilfov County Council president Marian Petrache.

“Unfortunately, many of the feasibility studies haven’t been followed by the actual projects. The Magurele Science Park is a fortunate exception, where both the land and part of the financial resources are already available. The increase of the EU funds absorption rate is a necessity for Romania’s research infrastructure,” said president Klaus Iohannis.

He added that such projects can stop and even reverse the talent exodus in the research sector.

Some 150 researchers currently work in Magurele, the biggest research center in Romania, and their number is expected to grow to 320 by 2020.

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