The long-distance hiking trail Via Transilvanica could get some EUR 6 - 7 million in funding from the European Economic Area and Norwegian Grants 2021-2028 for getting properly rigged out, Minister of European Investments and Funding Dragos Pislaru told AGERPRES in an interview.

According to the minister, the total EEA and Norwegian grants available amount to EUR 600 million and are intended to complement the larger funding earmarked to Romania. They require a 15% co-financing on the part of the Romanian state.

'I am happy that in less than two months I was able to get the discussions back on track, under a first formal negotiation with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and that we broadly came to terms on the funding lines that target some very important areas for Romania. We are talking green transition, local development, justice and home affairs, the - again, very important part - of culture and, last but not least, projects that fall in the Foreign Affairs Ministry's area of bilateral relations and for increasing administrative capacity, in general. What is notable is that these projects on Norwegian and EEA funding - given that we are talking about EUR 600 million, compared to, say EUR 31 billion under the Cohesion Policy - are meant to pilot, to test, to help, complement the other larger-scale financing,' Pislaru explained.

Among the projects that will get financing through the EEA and Norwegian grants are Via Transilvanica and slow tourism in the Danube Delta.

Dwelling on some 'really, really cool' project categories, Pislaru mentioned the M100 concept (EU Mission '100 climate neutral cities), local development for vulnerable segments such as interventions for the Roma community - for instance family planning, and slow tourism in the Delta. 'I can confirm to you that negotiations are underway for Via Transilvanica to benefit from funding, considering that it is a globally recognized pedestrian circuit. These are innovative projects, beautiful projects Romania can be proud of and that I would be ready to fight to see financed,' said the head of European investments.

In Pislaru's opinion, Via Transilvanica is 'that type of project that connects Romania, creates social fabric, knitting together people from over 400 administrative-territorial units around one concept: bringing Romania together.'

'There are countless entrepreneurs along the route who are invited to welcome tourists with their cuisine or to offer accommodation. It's a very, very well thought-out community concept, which already attracts over hundreds of thousands of visitors. We have increasingly more foreign tourists and it's a source of pride for Romanians. The Romanian state has never financed this project and, on the one hand, it's understandable because you can't put in any kind of financing, because there's a grassroots concept there that goes bottom-up, where too much interference is unadvised, you cannot say: 'Now that I gave you money, you have to do what I say.' And then I think the Norwegian funds are perfect for sprucing up the route,' he said.

Basically, the project would envisage setting up visitor points like the one at Tasuleasa Social - which should serve as a genuine education center about community spirit, so one can take children there to see what a 1,600 km long route from Putna to Drobeta Turnu Severin means, Pislaru said, adding that plans are afoot to build a trail the other way round, from north-western Satu Mare to eastern Dobrogea. 'It's a very cool project that gets us connected with each other, in which we find the joy of seeing and discovering the country in a way that is linked to nature, to communities, to local gastronomy,' the minister said.

Regarding the financing of this project, which would stand around EUR 6 - 7 million, he said that it is a good start for the relationship with the Norwegian partners, and with their expertise. 'I admit that I am excited about the possibility of helping with this type of project,' stressed Dragos Pislaru.

Speaking of the slow tourism project in the Delta, Pislaru mentioned that it is based on the ideas of the late rowing legend Ivan Patzaichin - visitor centers, with slow tourism, no speedboats or other environmentally-disturbing activities, and designed in the spirit of respect 'for this exceptional habitat we have in the Delta, not to just poke through all the nooks and crannies on your own, but create routes, to which the educational, cultural, and local gastronomy part adds.' AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Oana Tilica; EN - writing by: Simona Klodnischi)