On 9 June, Ambassador Robin Barnett held an event at his Residence to mark the end of the UK’s main bilateral assistance programme in Romania, the Global Opportunities Fund (GOF, recently renamed the Strategic Programme Fund), and to celebrate the achievements of GOF-funded projects.  The event was attended by Justice Minister, Catalin Predoiu, the President of the Supreme Court of Magistracy, Mrs Lidia Barbalescu, the US, Dutch and Swedish Ambassadors, as well as many project implementers and beneficiaries.

Justice Minister Predoiu expressed the Romanian Government’s appreciation for GOF’s contribution to Romania’s reform process, particularly in the fight against corruption and the development of the Probation Service. The Minister made clear that transparency and co-operation was needed if Romania was to succeed in the reform of the judicial system and in fighting corruption. Three project beneficiaries also shared their experiences with the participants.

Finally, Minister Predoiu, Mrs Barbulescu and Ambassador Barnett handed out certificates of achievement to around 30 project implementers (NGOs). Those present included Transparency International, the Institute for Public Policy (IPP), Group for Applied Economics (GEA), and the Romanian Academic Society (SAR).

Note

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s GOF-Reuniting Europe Programme aims to support countries through the EU integration process. In Romania, it has been a great success in achieving this objective. Since 2003,  GOF has funded more than 35 projects worth over £3 million, that have helped Romania reach EU standards in many key areas. Specifically, they have assisted the Romanian Government in reforming the judicial system, tackling corruption and organised crime, improving administrative capacity to absorb EU funding, and securing its borders.

Despite the end of GOF funding, the UK will continue to assist Romania in key areas, including via twinning projects (in the fields of anti-corruption, state aids and competition, probation, and management of EU structural funds).