European leaders seek compromise on EU budget

On Thursday, European leaders will try to reach a compromise on multi-annual budget of the European Union for the period 2014 to 2020.

Great contributors to the EU budget, including the UK, Germany and Sweden, would like spending cuts, while net recipient states cohesion funds, including Romania, seek an additional or even a freeze of funds.

For a more generous budget advocates also the European Commission, as its president José Manuel Barroso said Wednesday.

"The European budget is not how it is said sometimes, a budget for Brussels or Strasbourg, because 94 percent of the money from the budget return to European citizens. It is a budget for investments in economy in all Member States, regions and our cities. It is a budget to achieve the 2020 goals and to improve convergence and solidarity among Europeans ",said José Manuel Barroso.

European Council President, Herman van Rompuy, will make a new budget proposal Thursday evening, before the summit, informs the Radio Romania correspondent, Luminita Apostol.

Difficult negotiations in Brussels

Before leaving the meeting, Romanian President Traian Basescu did not exclude the possibility that Brussels will not reach a solution in this regard.

"I do not exclude the possibility that this Council cannot reach a solution, so it is not ruled out that option, but my opinion is that everyone wants to come to a solution, or almost everyone", said Basescu.

In his opinion, the negotiations will be difficult as all Member States have complaints.
He added that Romania is in a difficult negotiating position with an absorption rate of EU funds by 9.72 percent.

Translated by Alexandra-Diana Mircea
MTTLC, Bucharest University