On January 30, the government approved a new ordinance amending the current regulations in the field of spatial planning and urbanism. The new regulations reduce the bureaucracy of authorizing construction works, public utilities and community services - announced Minister of Development Cseke Attila.
The minister added that the new provisions accelerate Romania's development process by de-bureaucratizing and making transparent the processes in the field of urban planning, and make the public authorities responsible for this area more accountable. The measures adopted today eliminate the inconsistent practices of the entities issuing permits and agreements, strengthen procedural discipline for both beneficiaries and public authorities, and support private construction as well as public investment with a direct impact on territorial and economic development.
With this Ordinance, the State is intervening to reduce red tape, delays and abusive practices that have so far blocked or slowed down essential investments. Communities will have easier access to public investments: schools, kindergartens, hospitals, roads, water, sewage or gas networks will be able to be started and completed in less time. It will also reduce the risk of losing funding and transferring costs to the state or local budgets and increase legal certainty for citizens and investors. We are also establishing clear and uniform rules, which will not allow for discretionary interpretations, for greater predictability in the development of localities. Last but not least, private investments such as housing, commercial premises and production facilities will be built more efficiently, generating jobs and income for communities
said Development Minister Cseke Attila.
These new measures, Cseke Attila added, will result in a more transparent and digital public administration. All requests and opinions will be communicated electronically, with a date certain, which means that beneficiaries and communities will be able to more easily keep track of the status of projects and the accountability of the institutions involved.
Indirect costs for citizens will be reduced by eliminating unjustified fees for permits for public works and administrative delays.
The measures aim to remove bottlenecks in the relationship between citizens and authorities, and citizens, businesses and local authorities will no longer be arbitrarily refused to submit documents or limited in number, including on digital platforms. Access to administrative procedures will become non-discriminatory.
”With clear deadlines, digital procedures and sanctions for administrative bottlenecks, investments in local infrastructure and private investments can be started and finalized in a shorter time, for the direct benefit of citizens”, concluded Minister Cseke Attila.
