An obscure structure in the government to receive 10 million lei from the state budget for press campaigns, communication and „promotion of Romanian image and interests”

The Ciucă government had on the agenda of Thursday’s meeting a draft decision to allocate 10 million lei from the state budget to an obscure structure within its own working apparatus. The money could be used for press promotion, among other things. The decision comes amid a flood of public money already channeled to the media market by parties or other government structures, a situation already criticized by the European Commission and the Council of Europe.

The draft decision stipulates that the 10 million lei can be spent by the structure called the Community Development Service, which is part of the Directorate for Community Development, Monitoring of Enterprises and Public Institutions, itself part of the General Secretariat of the Government (headed by influential PSD leader Marian Neacșu).

The draft decision stipulates that the 10 million lei can finance, among other things, the purchase of media promotion services (print media, online media, radio, television) for the activities of the Community Development Service.

The draft also states that the institution may grant an advance of up to 30% of the value of the partnership agreements concluded for the implementation of the programs, projects, and actions financed, without requiring a bank guarantee letter.

What the government will spend the 10 million lei on:

Here are some of the programs that half of the 10 million could be spent on: 

a) organization and participation in projects, actions, communication events, and/or campaigns of public information and promotion of the Romanian image, history, culture, and interests, carried out in the country and abroad;
b) organizing public consultations and debates, communication and information events and campaigns on government strategies, programs and public policies and/or topical domestic and/or European/international issues and themes, as well as actions aimed at disseminating information of public interest on the act of government and government policies;
(c) procurement of opinion polls, online platforms, studies, evaluations, reports, and analyses of public policies and strategies for the optimization of government programs and strategies, including with regard to monitoring and evaluation of the quality of public services and supporting open access to information of public interest and transparency of decision-making in public administration;
d) procurement of databases, internal and international reports/analyses in areas of governmental interest;
(e) the acquisition/production, editing, translation, printing, multiplication, and dissemination in the country and abroad of materials for the presentation and promotion of Romania and for the affirmation of national culture and identity, as well as materials for internal promotion and information on government policies and strategies and EU policies (books, brochures, periodicals, encyclopedias, dictionaries, leaflets, albums, photo albums, manuals, school textbooks, prints, banners, pens, pens, posters, maps, atlases, diaries, calendars, compact discs, DVDs, badges, commemorative and/or anniversary coins and medals, philatelic products, handicrafts, decorative items, paintings, traditional culinary products, musical instruments, flags, banners, uniforms of various types, props and clothing, sports materials, promotional materials, IT equipment, online platforms, and other materials);
f) organization, financing, and participation in seminars, colloquia, exchanges of experience, fact-finding visits, working meetings, conferences, round tables, workshops, fairs, exhibitions, festivals, congresses, public events, and meetings held in the country and abroad, including actions and projects organized by EU, UN and other national and international institutions or bodies associated with them, on the subject of public government policies, promotion of the act of government and support for European communication, image and Romania and Romanian interests in the country and abroad;
g) supporting publications in the country (books, brochures, leaflets, periodicals, printed matter, online information platforms, etc.) in order to inform the public about government policies and strategies and EU and UN policies and to support projects and actions to promote community development, culture, Romanian identity and interests at home and abroad;
h) financial support to the Official Internship Programme of the Romanian Government,
i) other cultural, social, scientific, technological, educational, and sports activities, events, projects, and programs necessary and appropriate for the organization and completion of actions specific to the scope of activity of the Community Development Service of the Directorate for Community Development, Monitoring of Enterprises and Public Institutions, in accordance with the legal regulations in force.

Translated