Bulgaria Improves Ranking in EU Funds Implementation

Bulgaria ranked 22nd among the 28 member states of the EU in terms of fund assimilation from the older program period.

The information was released through the online portal of the General Directorate Regional policy to the European Commission.

Bulgaria has improved its ranking compared to the result in March when the country took the 24th place.

The commission also noted that eight months prior to the end of the program period, Bulgaria has assimilated 74,7% of the EU development funds available. The country ranks before Spain, the Czech Republic, Italy, Romania, Slovakia and Croatia. Estonia, Portugal and Lithuania took the first three spots with respectively 94,9%, 93,8% and 93,7% of assimilated funds.

Meanwhile, Bulgaria demanded an extension on the program for development of rural regions by six months, until the middle of 2016. If the extension is not granted, Bulgaria will be at risk of losing approximately half a billion leva.

The situation with operational program for environmental protection is quite similar. Funding on the pro0gram sponsoring the establishment of waste treatment plants and renovation of the water-supply infrastructure has been stopped for over four months now. There is a prominent risk of losses of funding from programs for transportation ad regional development.

A full report on the EU-funded programs will be presented by the government by the end of the month. It will soon become evident how much of the BGN 5 B available through the payment scheme will in fact boost Bulgarian economy. 

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!