Meglena Plugchieva: I cannot comment on claims until I receive the official EC report

"I work with facts only; we are working hard in order to reduce damages and funding at risk of being lost. I cannot comment on Reuters claims until I receive the official report of the Commission. Therefore, I cannot give any comment or forecast", Deputy Prime Minister Meglena Plugchieva stated referring to the news releases that the EC plans to deprive Bulgaria of 500 mln euro.

"I have informed the government about the complexity of the situation, delays under some programmes, but it is not true that nothing has been done over the recent months to solve these problems because almost every week the government reported on concrete steps and measures it had taken which are giving results," Plugchieva added cited by Bulgarian media.

Plugchieva underlined that the inspections would continue not only into SAPARD, but also into all European programmes, adding that this was absolutely normal.

According to her, it was scandalous that OLAF's report was released in the media because it wasn't addressed to them but to the authorities investigating those cases.