PHOTO: Focsani. Inclusion of the Roma minority through investments in various projects in the Bahne and Sud neighborhoods

The mayor of the municipality of Focșani, Cristi Valentin Misăilă:

Focșani City Hall hosted, for two days, the works of the Joint Working Group for the implementation of the Romanian Government’s strategies for the inclusion of Romanian citizens belonging to the Roma minority for the period 2022 – 2027. Thursday, March 21, 2024, in the meeting room of the Focșani Local Council of a meeting of this working group took place, while on Friday, March 22, 2024, members of the working group had field visits to the investments that the municipality is carrying out in the Bahne District and the Sud District.

Thursday’s meeting was led by Dragoș Hotea, Secretary of State at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister and Iulian Paraschiv, President of the National Agency for Roma. The meeting was attended by, in addition to the local authorities and the representatives of the ministries with attributions in strategy coordination, Molnar Zolt, deputy of the People’s Advocate, Petru Beldea, Undersecretary of State in the MAI, Dincer Geafer, Undersecretary of State in the Department for Interethnic Relations, Francisc Gal , Undersecretary of State in MMSS, Cecilia Văduva, Deputy General Secretary in MIPE, other representatives from member institutions in the Working Group.

During the discussions, I informed the members of the Working Group about the steps taken at the city level to support the citizens of the Bahne District and the Sud District, identified as marginal areas.

In the Bahne neighborhood, Block G2 was demolished, a block that was assessed for seismic risk and which endangered the tenants – social cases from Focșani. Also in the Bahne District, green spaces, Bahne Park, sidewalks and street lighting were rehabilitated and five playgrounds were built. Also, Kindergarten 16 was rehabilitated for the preschoolers in Bahne. At this moment, work is being done on the installation of school furniture, so that, as soon as the kindergarten obtains operating authorizations from DSP Vrancea and ISU Vrancea, the children can return to studies here.

Also in Bahne, on the site of the former Block G2, a Multifunctional Center for educational, cultural, recreational and social activities is being built, with European funds. It will be a building with 13 rooms, in which various activities will be arranged. There will also be a Taxes and Taxes office, an office of the Social Assistance Directorate (DAS) Focșani, etc.

Later, I presented them with the rehabilitation through the National Local Development Program (PNDL) of the social block in Măgura street where 16 families live.

As for the South District, a presentation was made of the social housing in Revoluetii Street 16-17. Here, instead of 90 dormitory rooms, with money from the European Union, 45 social housing is being built. Also, in Cartierul Sud, the former dispensary was rehabilitated, where a permanent family medicine center now operates, and Grădinițe 10, 13, Creșa 1 and Grădinița 1 are being rehabilitated.

On Friday, March 22, 2024, together with the specialized apparatus from the Focșani City Hall, we presented all these investments to the members of the Working Group present at the meeting.