First monitoring visit on behalf of the European Commission (EC) over the activities of the EU Solidarity Fund in Bulgaria and the implementation of projects of Varna Municipality took place in the Bulgarian coastal city of Varna on Thursday.

The monitoring visit is realised at the invitation of Directorate General for Regional Development Programming Bulgaria as a coordinator of the Solidarity Fund in Bulgaria.

Bulgaria’s Varna Municipality was most seriously affected by the floods in June 2014 and thus it is the biggest beneficiary under the Solidarity Fund. It realises one of the most important projects within the first application under the EU Solidarity Fund. The allocated financing tops BGN 10 million.

“Bulgaria’s first application form to the EU Solidarity Fund was for the disaster in the Asparuhovo residential quarter in Varna, which was hit by a devastating flood. The focus was put on the southeast region of the country. The damages filed to the European Commission were estimated at EUR 370 million. Bulgaria received a financing of BGN 20 million, half of which was directed to Varna to tackle the consequences in Asparuhovo,” Bulgarian Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Denitsa Nikolova said speaking at a briefing.

“The EU Solidarity Fund was established in 2002. Its major goal is for the money from the EC to be directed to member states that need support after suffering a disaster.

Unfortunately, there were several such events in Bulgaria over the past year and half and we used the mechanisms of this instrument to get financing to cover the damages caused in the different regions of the country.

Varna was one of the worst affected. The flood in June claimed 13 victims, while the entire Asparuhovo residential quarter was under water,” Ms Nikolova commented further.

“The resource is insufficient, we are aware that the damages are tens of times more expensive that what we can get, but the fund provides opportunities to get support,” she said.

“Municipalities in South Bulgaria, which were affected by the heavy snow in February, expect to receive BGN 12.5 million from the EU Solidarity Fund,” Deputy Minister Nikolova said further.

The minister explained that the second application form that the ministry filed to the EU Solidarity Fund was for natural disasters that occurred in Northwest Bulgaria in July.

She added that almost BGN 4 million had been received and allocated among four municipalities – Miziya, Byala Slatina, Vratsa and Mezdra.