The rebirth of the Jiu Valley is slow if we take into consideration that the National Pit Coal Company has a lot of debts to cover and the "social-economical regeneration" program, financed by the World Bank, has just started.
The colliers in the Jiu Valley are having hard times trying to change their occupations, even though they benefit from a financial help from the World Bank. The 13 companies that benefit from the support of the Business Center in Lonea, built with money from the World Bank, have attracted 73 colliers out of the thousands of unemployed people in this region. Their professional reconversion pushed them towards fields that donât have anything to do with the underground. One of the companies that have employed former colliers produces substructure parts for yachts, and another one produces electrical devices that are supposed to go to Great Britain. However, these are rather picturesque aspects.
THE INCUBATOR. The number of unemployed colliers would demand the initiation of a newer center in the region. Marcel Hoara, the General Director of the National Agency for the Development of the Mining Region (GDNADMR), which manages 60 million US dollars from the World Bank, says such a decision will only be made after a thorough study of the situation. The Center at Lonea has also been built with money from the World Bank.
Besides polyester and glass fiber for yachts, the companies here also produce metallic garments, furniture and also perform commerce, cleaning and patisserie services. The center is some sort of a hybrid between a business incubator and an industrial minipark, which offers access to utilities, office and production spaces for rent at small prices, as well as management services.
SLIGHT PROGRESSES. The absorption of the World Bank Funds is still very slow in the Jiu Valley, because, for example, in the case of t
