Payments to farmers per unit of arable area will be effected from the fiscal reserve, announced the Finance Ministry. The payments must be made during the week February 18-22, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food stated shortly before that.

The funds from the fiscal reserve will be reimbursed by the European Commission (EC) in accordance with the procedures and terms as per the regulations, explained the Finance Ministry. Updating of the issue calendar has been undertaken in order to ensure sustainability of the fiscal reserve in the first months of the year. The State Budget Act stipulates that the fiscal reserve should not fall below a minimum of BGN 4.7 bn.

“The funds for agriculture and direct payments will increase by BGN 2 bn in the next programming period (2014-2020),” Minister of EU Funds Management Tomislav Donchev said in in Veliko Tarnovo, cited by Darik Radio.

According to him, the financial framework for the seven operational programmes until 2020 will be around BGN 16 bn. Investments in infrastructure, small- and medium-sized enterprises, social services and the labour market will be of priority importance. Tomislav Donchev announced that by the end of May, the Government should approve the future operational programmes that will be presented to the EC.

“The draft bill on the management of EU funds will ensure sustainability and fairness in the next programming period and will allow for the implementation of integrated projects,” Donchev added. He stated that the final approval of the bill will be a task for the next National Assembly because the European regulations will not be ready until the mandate of the present Parliament expires.

Minister Donchev predicted that 2013 will be “a difficult and challenging year” because a partnership agreement with the other EU Member States to replace the current National Reference Framework should be signed within this period.