European Investment Bank to Expand Funding for the Security Sector in 2025

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has announced plans to double its funding for security and defense projects in 2025. According to Teodor Radonov, head of the EIB Group's Sofia Representative Office, the bank’s security and defense funding reached 1 billion euros last year, and a new operational plan is set to significantly increase this amount next year.

Radonov emphasized that the EIB has streamlined its internal processes, making it quicker and easier for potential partners to access support for defense and security projects. The bank has also removed the cap on investments, previously set at 8 billion euros, expanding the range of eligible initiatives. This change will enable the EIB to back large-scale projects in areas such as border protection, military mobility, critical infrastructure, cybersecurity, and advanced technological research.

As part of its broader strategic focus, the EIB continues to prioritize cohesion, aiming to support EU member states with lower per capita income, like Bulgaria. In 2024, the EIB allocated a record 38 billion euros for projects in cohesion and transition regions, contributing to the development of areas with significant potential. Bulgaria is expected to benefit from this continued commitment, with ongoing projects in industries such as raw materials, pharmaceuticals, and renewable energy, which the EIB plans to announce later this year.

In the field of venture capital, the EIB is focusing on supporting innovation. Under the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism, the bank plans to invest between 120 and 180 million euros in new funds, potentially mobilizing over 500 million euros to support entrepreneurs. The EIB’s subsidiary, the European Investment Fund (EIF), has already invested in 14 venture capital funds in Sofia, providing over 1 billion euros in funding for innovative companies in Bulgaria.

Radonov highlighted the EIB’s broader efforts to mobilize both public and private funds across Europe. This includes convening a meeting of national promotional banks to ensure that investments contribute to a safer and more prosperous European future. Additionally, the EIB remains committed to becoming the “Climate Bank,” with 60% of its annual funding directed towards green initiatives. This year, the bank will launch new projects focusing on clean technologies, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, health sciences, and Europe’s industrial leadership.