Estonian EU fund absorption problems

TALLINN - Prime Minister Andrus Ansip said today that problems may arise inregards to projects using EU support in the previous finance period.

Ansip named projects such as the 43 million kroon (EUR 2.75 mln) labormarket measures plan, the EmajogiRivercatchment basin water management project worth 700 million kroons, theconstruction of a breakwater in the port ofTallinnfor 371 million kroons, and theKukruse road construction project budgeted at 590 million kroons.

In his words, it is not fully certain at this point that Estoniawill manage to implement those projects and use up the EU funds.

Absorption of EU support is particularly important in the present economiccooling situation where utilization of EU monies would support the economy andby bringing extra taxes into the state budget.

Estoniahas until the end of 2010 to distribute the EU support of the previousfinancing period.

Ansip at the same time pointed out that the overall situation with theabsorption of EU funds is good: the state has used 80 percent of the allocatedmoney.

Estoniacan use European aid in the sum of more than 50 billion kroons in 2007-2013.