The City Managerand Vice-Mayor of Alba Iulia Municipality, Nicolaie Moldovan and Voicu Paul, and the World Bank Country Manager for Romania, Elisabetta Capannelli, today launched a technical assistance project forassessing Alba Iulia’s long-term plans, strategies, and projects for the 2014-2020 programming period, said the bank in a statement.

The World Bank will provide technical assistance tothe Municipality of Alba Iulia to establish a prudent margin for future capital expenditures, to help identify key priority projects that could be financed within this programming period and to provide recommendations on improved institutional set-up for more efficient project management.

“The World Bank is delighted to provide technical assistance for the Assessment of the Long-Term Development Plans, strategies, and projects for the Municipality of Alba Iulia and to engage at the sub-national level. Alba Iulia is a best practice example in the implementation of EU-funded projects. It has absorbed over 150 million Euros in EU funds,”said Ms. Elisabetta Capannelli, World Bank Country Manager for Romania.

“The legitimacy of the advice and assistance provided by the World Bank are unquestionably valuable, particularly for our local authority, which guides its activity through strategic development, smart prioritization, and cost-effective implementation of public investments. The World Bank’s technical support for Romania’s regional development has offered solid inputs and a consistent framework for our medium- and long-term development policies,” said Mr.Nicolaie Moldovan, City Manager, Alba Iulia Municipality.

The technical assistance will be provided during the next 10 months. The project will help the Municipality to better access EU funds under the 2014-2020 programming period.

Alba Iulia, a city ofaround 65,000 people,is one of Romania’scounty capitals experiencing dynamic growth.