Perception of Romanian banking system by the beneficiaries of rural development projects

Abstract

European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development of the EU for funding economic activities in the rural area. As the payments for the Community projects are settlement payments (i.e. the payments are settled in installments after being made, the entrepreneurs need forward funding for their investments, and, therefore, the banks play an important role in forwarding the funds for the projects, as well as in co-funding the eligible expenses.

This paper analyzes the way in which the beneficiaries of rural development projects perceive the assistance given by the Romanian banking institutions regarding the steps they must make in order to obtain a loan or to benefit of other necessary banking products or services for the implementation of their projects.

The research was carried out in Timiș County, between May and September 2016, on a sample of 96 interviewees, beneficiaries of rural development projects by the National Rural Development Programme 2007-2013. The data collection methods consisted of the survey made on the basis of a standardized questionnaire, using the “face-to-face” technique and the data collection interview method using the “face-to-face” interview.