By August 2026, all projects in the PNRR should be completed, but there are many energy investments that are delayed, says the Minister of European Investments and Projects, Adrian Cachiu. One of the reasons why it got here is the existence of “funding hunters”, who on paper create projects for which funding is requested, but which are then not developed, but sold to other companies.

“I think we have a historic opportunity from an investment point of view. I’ll give you a number that will blow your mind: right now, as we’re discussing, we have more than 20 billion euros at our disposal,” Cachiu said during the Energy Forum conference organized by DC News.

It is about PNRR – 5 billion euros, Cohesion Funds – 3 billion euros, Modernization Fund – 16 billion euros.

From 2026, 5 billion euros will be allocated from the Social Climate Fund, the minister added.

“It’s not just someone’s job anymore, it’s everyone’s job to make the mechanisms work for the benefit of society. We all have to put our shoulders to the ground so that the existing projects are quickly implemented. Time is not waiting for us.

We are no longer in a paradigm of lack of projects and money, but in competition with our administrative capacity, both public and private, to implement projects,” said Cachiu.

By August 2026, all projects in the PNRR should be completed, he reminded.

“There are many investments in energy that are being postponed. Everyone should sit down at the table. The sums are exorbitant, but they are only sums on paper, if they are not transformed into projects to achieve their goal.”

“We eliminate hunters for funding”

There is a possibility that the regulation will be cumbersome, but then it needs to be changed, the minister also said.

“All participants in this commitment should sit down at the table to find a solution, because we have projects that are delayed. We have to be very honest about this. If we are not honest, we will be deceiving ourselves and in 2026 we will find that we have not achieved what we planned and we will lose the amounts that are provided for free. We don’t have time to sit and say that everything is perfect.

I will give another example: the hunt for funding. Now there are open tenders – I don’t know whether in the Ministry of Energy or on the ground, business hunters who come, submit a project, but they do not implement it, but are looking for a manufacturer. who will invest in the park. These things must be eliminated if we want to reduce the steps for making investments,” Cachiu said.