Bulgaria needs BGN 62 M in order to complete the introduction of a network of top-notch emergency centres for monitoring all distress calls, the disaster management minister said.

The lack of availability of the European emergency number 112 triggered last month a European Commission infringement proceeding against Bulgaria for failure to comply with EU rules.

Talking in Parliament on Friday, Minister Emel Etem said the system may be put into operation by the end of next year if the government allots BGN 45 M to the three ministries involved in the project and another BGN 20 M to the state agency for information technologies, which will build the optic network.

"Next year we will be ready to report to our European partners that everyone in Bulgaria, including our guests from abroad, can use the European emergency number," Minister Etem said.

EU telecom rules require member states to ensure that it is possible to call the emergency services free of charge, and to ensure that telecommunications operators provide emergency authorities with the caller location information for calls to "112" from both fixed and mobile phones.

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