EXPERTS SHALL PROPOSE VARIANTS FOR THE FUTURE OF THE ROADS AGENCY UNTIL 15 JUNE

Until 15 June the interdepartmental expert group must prepare proposals for amendments in the legal base related to republican roads governance. It is established on the initiative of the Deputy Prime Minister Meglena Plugchieva, the government press service announced.

Tsveta Kamenova, director of the Economic and Social Policy Directorate with the Council of Ministers, shall head the interdepartmental expert group. It shall consist of representatives of the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, as well as of the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of EU funds governance, the Republican Road Infrastructure Fund, the Legal and Economic and Social Policies Directorates with the Council of Ministers.

The group's aim shall be to introduce urgent structural and governance measures for the reorganization of the Republican Road Infrastructure Fund (RRIF) into special administrative structure with the Council of Ministers. It is expected that by 2013, with good governance and control procedures available, the Fund must invest approximately 3.6 billion euros in the republican road infrastructure.

The interdepartmental expert group shall operate in conformity with the recommendations of the European Commission included in the report of the Deputy Prime Minister Plugchieva and the measures provided by the action plan for stabilization of RRIF financial governance and control systems. The two documents have been presented today by the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of EU funds management at the Government's meeting.

This week she conducted consultations with EC's representative attended by the Ministers of Finance and of Regional Development and Public Works, as well as the field Deputy Ministers of Transport, Regional Development and Public Works and of Finance.
In her report Plugchieva indicates that measures package needs to be adopted aimed at improvement of the administrative governance structure of the Fund and the systems for internal governance, monitoring and control. They shall be in conformity with the Action Plan which is in the process of concordance with the European Commission.

The analysis prepared by the Deputy Prime Minister Plugchieva emphasizes that the new special administrative structure must have strong professional management. Its head shall be assisted in the process of his work by a foreign advisor. He shall provide support for the strengthening of the department's administrative capacity and for achieving greater transparency of governance.
It is envisaged that a supervisory committee shall be established with the new structure comprising a representative of the non-governmental sector as well. The goal is to consolidate financial governance and control systems.

The finding of urgent solution for RRIF shall help the "unblocking" of the ceased certification of costs under current ISPA projects assigned by the Fund, as well as the conclusion of contracts related to projects under the Transport and Regional Development Operative Programs where RRIF is the beneficiary.