The European Commission to suspend the money for gas connections with Greece and Romania

Bulgaria is about to lose the EU funds for the gas connections with Greece and Romania and the money agreed under the pre-accession ISPA programme. This became clear from the information of the European Commission given in response to the question of MEP Ivaylo Kalfin about the reallocation of funds from the Community’s budget. According to the explanation released, the money for the gas connections will be suspended because of "operational delays" in the development of the projects. Brussels has redirected the funds under 7 projects worth €22.4 mln, involving Slovakia, Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic as well.

Our country expected to receive up to €45 mln from the European Fund for re-initiating the construction of a pipeline between the towns of Komotini and Stara Zagora and another €8 mln for the pipeline between the towns of Ruse and Giurgiu. “Indeed, there is a risk of losing EU funds,” explained to Klassa daily experts from the Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism.

The Bulgarian Energy Holding, which is in charge of the construction of the pipelines, sent a letter to the EC demanding an approval to use the funds until 2014, but it has not received a response yet. ”The construction of gas connections and the possibility for diversification of supplies, and not dangerous experiments like the extraction of shale gas, are the tools which can ensure our energy independence,” said Ivaylo Kalfin on Monday.

The European Commission will redirect some € 87 mln under the ISPA programme for Bulgaria and Romania. The administrators in Brussels believe that the completion of earlier projects took longer than expected. About 30% of the funds suspended could be transferred to our country next year. Romanian ISPA funding, however, will be lost.

The EC is redirecting some more € 41 mln under programs involving Bulgaria, because of the need of longer preparatory work.

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