Funds Under Environment, Regional Development Programs to Remain Blocked

Deputy PM Ekaterina Zaharieva said it was "technically impossible" to unfreeze payments under the EU's Environment and Regional Development programs this month.

Zaharieva made her comments in Brussels after meeting Johannes Hahn, the EU Commissioner for Regional Development.

She urged that no speculations be made on the dates and deadlines in which the money could be released.

Financial corrections under the Operational Program Environment will stand at about BGN 200 M, while those on regional development are yet to be estimated, the Bulgarian National Radio quoted Zaharieva as saying.

The Deputy Prime Minister in charge of economic policy, who is also a Minister of Regional Development and Investment Planning, made clear that the so-called "flat correction", amounting to 9.5% of the entire program, would not involve any losses, since the sum would be at Bulgaria's disposal, but would have to be allocated to other projects.

The full audit carried out on how funds under the frozen programs are managed in Bulgaria is to be ready by end-September.

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