The European Union will grant BGN 28 M for the construction of a Sofia-based museum dubbed the Bulgarian Louvre, said Regional Development Minister Lilyana Pavlova.

The announcement was made after the ninth meeting of the Steering Committee of the Regional Development Operational Program held in Pamporovo.

According to Pavlova, as cited by news portal mediapool, a total of EUR 43 M will go to repair works and energy efficiency improvements at universities, schools and kindergartens, while another EUR 15 M will be spent on pending flood prevention projects in cities and villages.

The sum of EUR 58 will come from the transfer of the Bulgaria-Serbia gas grid interconnection project under the Competitive Power OP, while its budget remains with the Regional Development OP.

A total of EUR 5 M will go to drafting projects for the next programming period, while a remaining EUR 5 M will be invested in supplementary informational materials, publications in print and electronic media, print advertisements, and the training of media representatives.

"96% of the grant schemes under the Regional Development OP have so far been opened. A large number of the contracts have already been signed, with several agreements to be sealed by the end of the year. The budget of the program stands at around BGN 3 B, of which around 18% have been paid out," Pavlova announced.

 "Regional Development OP is one of the programs with an exceptionally successful implementation and absorption rate. There is always a balance between praise and criticism. I am glad that this time the positive evaluations of the Managing Authority predominated," she remarked.

Pavlova also added that Renaldo Mandmets, Head of the Unit for Bulgaria at DG Regional Policy, had recommended that the country focus on project execution, contractual payments and quality.

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