Meglena Plugchieva: ISPA funds will be allotted in November

The Deputy Prime Minister in charge of EU funds absorption Meglena Plugchieva announced in an interview for Klassa Daily that the funds for Bulgaria under the EC ISPA programme were expected to be released in November. It is envisaged that in the end of September and the beginning of October an external auditor will conduct an assessment of the activity of the National Road Infrastructure Agency in order to guarantee that its work is transparent, professional and in accordance with EC procedures.

"I am coming back from Berlin where I have contracted a consultant-advisor to work with me as well as experts for short-term seminars and training in fight against corruption, prevention under the operative programmes and training of the administrative capacity", Plugchieva noted. She also expects another advisor to assist the National Road Infrastructure Agency in September.

ISPA payments under the Luilin highway and the Kurdjali-Podkova road projects have been suspended.