Brussels, 13/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - Bulgaria should be on the right track to optimise its maximum use of the structural funds allocated to the country for the 2007-2013 financial programming period. The European Commissioner for Development welcomed this news, following her meeting with the Bulgarian Prime Minister, Boyko Borissov and his Deputy Prime Minister, Tomislav Donchev, on Monday 12 January.
Optimism. The two ministers convinced the Commissioner that Bulgaria was on the right track to optimise use of European structural funds, even though the country has had difficulties over recent years in optimising its use of these European subsidies, acknowledged Commissioner Corina Cretu.
She pointed out that implementation of the programmes financed through the 2007-2013 budget envelope had made good progress in Bulgaria and that this implementation rate had risen from 54.9% last October, to 64.7% by the end of 2014. This is crucial because there is now only a year left for cohesion policy beneficiary countries to submit their invoice to the European Commission and use up the funding available for the 2007-2013 period.
Financial instruments. She reaffirmed that the European Commission, through its task force at DG Regio, was there to help Bulgaria in this connection. She also added that the solution consisted by extending assistance through the financial instruments that had proved efficient during the 2007-2013 period. The Commissioner stressed that “Whilst growing, these instruments are relatively new to many public authorities, but they have a great potential and proven ability to deliver results.” (MD)