Boc told mayors that he knows local authorities aren’t happy with the government’s decision to claim back unspent money, but explained that the measure was an attempt to narrow the 2008 budget deficit.
"I know you’re dissatisfied with the fact that money left unspent by local authorities was returned to the state budget at the end of last year. We had talks and the money will go back to local communities. There where public procurement auctions have been organized and there is no money to fund the respective projects, the government will provide funding,” Boc told local authorities.
Romania’s former liberal government approved several decisions in September-December 2008, granting additional funds to local authorities, but the new center-left coalition government passed an emergency decree reclaiming all funds left unspent until the end of the year.