Meglena Plugchieva: Bulgaria Received 16 Billion Euro from All EU Programmes

"Sixteen million euro is the amount of the EU funds which Bulgaria has received from all active EU programmes, including the pre-accession programmes. Meanwhile, our country has paid EUR 843 million as a member state of the European Union", the Deputy Prime Minister on EU funds said. According to Meglena Plugchieva, the data proves that we are not net payers in the EU, Focus Agency reported.

"Bulgaria has not made the optimum use of the EU funds. We cannot afford any misappropriations and we cannot breach the rules. The more we stick to the rules, the better effect we will get", Plugchieva explained.

"During the electoral campaign everybody is exerting themselves on behalf of the EU funds. There are comments that Bulgaria is a net payer and that it is incontrollable. This shows disrespect for all of us who make great efforts. This also shows disrespect for everybody who uses EU funding", the Deputy Prime Minister said.

Bulgaria is expected to produce an answer to the letter from Jean Luc Demarty who is responsible for agriculture and rural development. After the last audit check in June it will be clear whether the SAPARD funding will be unblocked. In order for the beneficiaries from the programmes not to be affected by the freezing of the funding, the government earmarked 100 million BGN from the national budget to fund their project activities.

The total amount of the ISPA funding which started in 2000 and expires in 2010 is 1 260 billion euros. "We are making up for the delay in "Transport" Programme which is part of ISPA", Plugchieva explained, cited by BGNES. This programme provides the funding for the second Danube bridge between Bulgaria and Romania and Liulin highway.

The Ministry of Environment and Water of Bulgaria negotiated 196 million euro of funding, to be part of the second axis of the ISPA for May, 2008. "We are also trying to work out the delay on the Schengen Programme which expires at the end of 2009", Meglena Plugchieva said. The total cost of the programme is 161 million euro. It gives specific recommendations for our land and sea borders.