Bulgaria: Cabinet’s EU funds management model to be announced by end-August

SOFIA, Bulgaria

The ministers of the ruling Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (CEDB) dealing with EU programs will make an evaluation on all projects with signed contracts for financing. EU Affairs and EU Funds Control Committee chairperson Svetlin Tanchev announced the news.

The ministers will make an analysis on the work of the managing authorities in charge of EU funds. Then, the new government will choose its own model for the management and control of the EU funds in Bulgaria. This will be done by the end of August, Tanchev said.

There are different variants – it is possible to merge several managing authorities in charge of the operational programs in one body or to establish an agency with the Ministry of Finance, which to master all EU programs.

Svetlin Tanchev also explained that up to the present moment CEDB is convinced that there is a need to facilitate the mechanism for the absorption of the EU funds provided by the EU for Bulgaria till 2013.

“We are all unanimous that there really is a need to facilitate the mechanism and the responsibility should be concentrated in one place – either a commission headed by me or a unit with the Finance Ministry. This is something we are to examine this month”, the MP said.

“We have seven independent authorities on the operational programs and they do whatever they wish. In fact, they are dependent on one another and this was used as an excuse and mutual accusations of who is responsible that something has not been done”, Tanchev added.