“Bulgaria has achieved a record high level of European funds absorption – we take the eighth place,” said European Commission Vice President for Budget and Human Resources Kristalina Georgieva, speaking at the official inauguration of the plant for mechanical biological treatment of waste the village of Yana in the Kremikovtsi administrative district of the capital Sofia.

“It is a pleasure for me to be here on behalf of [European Commission President] Jean-Claude Juncker, who wanted very much to attend [the event]. He would have said: “Well done, Boyko [Prime Minister Boyko Borisov], well done, Ms Fandakova [Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova], well done, Bulgaria”. Bulgaria has reached a record level of [European resources] absorption, the highest one since we joined the EU,” Ms Georgieva noted.

She remarked the country had been in the first top 10 over this first year.

“We take the eighth place, Mr Prime Minister,” she said, addressing Mr Borisov.

“We will today attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony at this plant, moving to close the infringement procedure against our country, which has been present for so many years. This project is among the largest we have financed in Bulgaria,” Kristalina Georgieva was explicit.

She specified the third stage of the project would be worth BGN 270 million.

“We will be able to use waste to provide warmth to our families at a lower price,” the senior EU official said.