EU to Make October Checks of All Program Funds in Bulgaria

Bulgaria's Minister of Regional Development, Rosen Plevneliev, said Friday the outcome regarding the EU PHARE program funds will be known in the beginning of October. Photo by BGNES

The European Commission will conduct a checkup of all EU operational programs in Bulgaria and the pre-accession PHARE program on October 5 and 6.

The information was reported Friday by the Minister of Regional Development, Rosen Plevneliev, who said at this time the "topic of the EUR 323 M from PHARE, frozen in the summer of 2008, will come to a closure."

The Minister informed the authorities have made a full analysis of all PHARE projects and the information, along with suggestions of how to conclude these projects, has been sent to Brussels.

Plevneliev explained the PHARE projects have been divided into 3 groups - those with lots of violations, the so-called "gray area" ones where financial corrections would be needed, and exemplary projects.

Most of the projects fell into the second category, Plevneliev said, adding the outcome for them is expected to be positive, but the question of the financial sanctions to be endured by Bulgaria was still on the table.

The projects that are doomed are 12 and all of them were processed by the former "Road Infrastructure" Agency, the Minister pointed out.

Just two weeks ago, Plevneliev's Deputy, Liliana Pavlova, said Bulgaria is going to lose EUR 32 from all 10 road projects from the PHARE program while 2 road projects have never been developed and worked on.

 

 

 

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