First instalment of EU funds for new period heading to Slovakia

The European Commission has already received the first official payment applications from Slovakia for EU funds under the new 2014-20 programme period, reported TASR on Thursday. According to Commissioner for Regional Policies Corina Cretu, the Commission will pay the first instalment of more than €100 million for Slovak projects. Most of them belong to the sphere of infrastructure and highways. "As for the current programme period, the implementation was rather slower in the beginning due to the large extent of European legislation that had to be implemented in EU-member states," said Cretu. She also commented on the previous drawing period 2009-2015. "Despite the fact the situation for Slovakia looked bleak, and it seemed that it would fail to draw up to €1.2 billion, things improved in 2015, and the sum was cut dramatically," explained Cretu.