€1 bn from EU funds to be redirected to road repairs

Monika Stoyanova

About €1 bn under EU operational programmes may be used for a major overhaul of Bulgaria's road network. The funds will come from projects that cannot be implemented, Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Rosen Plevneliev said yesterday after a working breakfast with the ambassadors of EU countries. Bulgaria will ask for a permission from the European Commission (EC) to redirect the money to road projects.

"Money has never been redirected from one operational programme to another in Bulgaria. Therefore, I have already assigned the task of closely examine the experience of other European countries where this has been done", Minister of EU Funds Tomislav Donchev commented for Klassa. He explained that before making a final decision, it should be clearly and definitely proven that a specific project stands no chance of being implemented and that the money will remain unabsorbed. Donchev refused to specify the problematic projects whose budgets would be redirected.

The EU Funds Minister has demanded each operational programme to be divided according to the so-called “traffic-lights” principle. The “green zone” will include projects under which the funds will certainly be utilized. Risky projects will be in the “yellow zone”. Projects that will not be able to absorb funds until the end of the programme period in 2013 will fall into the “red zone”.
After reassessing the programme, the request for redirection of money will be discussed with the EC. Since the European funds are intended for targets set in the National Strategic Reference Framework, changes in it will also be introduced, experts specified.