Government contracts BGN 600 mln under European programs

"In just a week - from 9 to 16 August  the Government contracted some BGN 600 mln under European programs," announced for Klassa Minister of EU Funds Management Tomislav Donchev. "Thus, the currently agreed funds are already 54% of all granted resources under the Operational Programs, or BGN 8.5 bn," he added.

The agreed funds under OP Transport, contributed most to this amount. It was exactly this OP that previously had problems with the negotiations and the implementation of projects. Currently, it tops the ranking, as agreed funds there are now 69%. The progress is mainly due to the signed contracts for modernization of the railways. Some 100% of the resources under this priority axis are already contracted. Minister Donchev gave as examples the progress in negotiating of the funds for electrification of the railway line Plovdiv-Svilengrad and the implementation of the contract for Lot 2 of the Maritza highway. " Nevertheless to this point just 14% of the funds have been paid out, or BGN 2.2 bn," he added.

"This is a significant progress in the absorption of the EU money," said Tomislav Donchev for Klassa. "We were able to advance with the work on OP Environment as well, and we will gradually catch up the delay there," explained Donchev in connection to the audit report of the National Audit Office. The experts' conclusions in the report drew the attention to the risk of not achieving the objectives of the programme, because the funds might not to be fully absorbed. Contracted funds under OP Environment are 45% of the resources (€1.8 bn) and paid amounts are still just 9%. The lowest error rate - less than 1%, has been established under this OP, which is an achievement at a wider European level as well.

"Progress is the slowest when it comes to OP Competitiveness," said the minister Just 36% of the total resources have been negotiated there.

Прочети цялата новина

Свързани новини: