Brussels Hints Possible Unfreezing of SAPARD Funds for Bulgaria

There are positive signs from Brussels that it might unfreeze the much need for Bulgaria funds from the EU agriculture SAPARD program.

The news was reported Sunday by Dnevnik.bg, citing unnamed sources from the European Commission (EC).

According to the sources, the announcement will be made on September 10, when Bulgaria's Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, is scheduled to travel to Brussels.

They point out the EC won't unfreeze the entire amount of EUR 140 M, put on hold by OLAF last summer over numerous violations, just the funds for the well-indented and sound Bulgarian projects.

Both, former Deputy PM in Charge of the EU Funds and current Member of the Parliament from the Bulgarian Socialist Party, Meglena Plugchieva, and current Foreign Minister, Rumiana Jeleva, expressed in the last days upbeat optimism regarding the EC decision and fund's release.

New Agriculture Minister, Miroslav Naidenov, is scheduled to meet Monday with the EC Agriculture Commissioner, Mariann Fischer-Boel, while the Commissioners had included in their September 10 meeting's agenda a new item about the SAPARD funds for Bulgaria, according to the EC sources.

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