Monika Panayotova: We have a rate of 7 times more assimilated funds on the operative programs

01/09/10

Monika Panayotova, Chairperson of the Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds in the parliament, stated before the Bulgarian National Radio, that the middle report for the assimilation of the euro funds does not include data for potential losses for Bulgaria on the programme ISPA. She explained, that there has been stated consideration, that there is a threat to have losses of resources on the program, if there is no increase in the rate.“There is principle agreement from the side of the European Commission for prolongation of the deadline for finishing the projects on the pre-accession programme “ISPA”, which is until the end of 2011, and regarding specifically “Danube Bridge 2” – 2012”, said Panayotova.

The Member of Parliament announced about tendencies for acceleration of payments, as well as negotiation on the operative programs, which are: “We have a rate of 7 times more assimilated funds on the operative programs, which makes over 1 billion levs and over 5 billion levs negotiated, as in the last two months, which have not been monitored in the report, because it is for the first six months” she said. According to her for July and August the percentage of assimilation is 7.66.According to Panayotova Bulgaria has around 8 billion euro on the operative programs. “From here on, the assimilation is not the only important, but the quality of the projects, which are prepared, so that they can have the most possible multiplying effect for the economy of our country”. The commission proposed the so called “synergy approach” between the operative programs, so that a more integrated way can be achieved.

The report covers 21 instruments, which are financed with resources from the European Commission. The Commission directly monitors the instrument “Schengen”. “The important is that we managed to contract all of the financial resource, which was on that instrument”, said the MEP. “There is stated delay on the realisation of the projects, the program ends on the 31st of December, i.e. there needs to be acceleration, so that the projects can be realised, which are in the frame of the process of the accession of Bulgaria”, pointed Panayotova.

Source: “Europe” Gateway