Executive Agency for Promotion of SMEs: Ministry of Economy is to blame for the delay under OP Competitiveness

“The Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism is responsible for the delay of projects under Operational Programme Competitiveness, for which the Executive Agency for Promotion of SMEs plays the role of an intermediate unit,” the Head of the agency Mariana Velikova said today. The reason for this was the decision depriving the agency of its function of an intermediate unit under the European Operational Programme. “The decision was taken without making a thorough analysis of OP Competitiveness. It was discussed with me either. The actual problem for the absorption of EU funds under this programme is the subsequent approval of the evaluation on the part of the managing authority. I do not agree that projects are being delayed. In 2010, we opened 13 new schemes under OP Competitiveness, 630 new contracts were signed under them and BGN 300 mln – absorbed. A total of 44 evaluation sessions for projects submitted under the programme were held last year,” specified Velkova.

“The managing authority has to present its evaluation after our agency and it is delayed for months,” she said, hinting that the Ministry delays the money earmarked for participation of Bulgarian companies in international exhibitions. This prompted a scandal regarding the participation of our companies in the tourism forum in Moscow. These exhibitions are part of the project for promotion of the internationalisation of Bulgarian enterprises, in which the agency is a beneficiary. The project is for a period of three years and is worth BGN 27 mln.

Today, Mariana Veikova and her team reported the two-year results of its implementation. Money from this programme was invested in the creation of a special export portal, which reported a total of 16,300 visits in seven months. Nearly 1,800 companies are users of this website. However, only 13 foreign companies have sought business partnerships in Bulgaria through it.

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