Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has announced that Bulgaria now has the possibility of absorbing BGN 13 B in European Union operational funds.

Speaking on Friday, Borisov added that, if Bulgaria did not take advantage of this opportunity, it would be entirely its own fault.

These statements followed the receipt of a letter from the European Commission, stating that their latest assessment of Bulgaria's Human Resources development operational program had been positively approved.

The EU has recently given the green light for other, separate operational programs. Borisov mentioned that, with the Human Resources program, there was the chance of absorbing BGN 2,8 B.

"Bulgarians who voted for us should know that in these seven or eight months, we have seven programs in Bulgaria ready to absorb BGN 13 B," he noted.

The Human Resources Development program could provide up to BGN 2,8 M, the Prime Minister said.

"It is extremely important because it concerns small businesses, it concerns re-training and qualifications in the social sphere and is extremely important in conditions of crisis," he emphasized, adding that he expected Bulgaria would assimilate about BGN 1,4 B by the end of 2010.

Borisov announced a program to establish a Council of Ministers expert panel, to assist and supervise the activities of mayors who lack administrative capacity or do not know how to develop their own programs.

Reporting on his recent meetings at the Council of Europe, the Prime Minister said that he had raised issues which he hoped would be discussed at the next Council meeting.

He is to discuss the placement of a US missile shield on the territory of Bulgaria. He said he will await the replies of the Commission and the Bulgarian Parliament on the subject.

He had put forward, on behalf of his Turkish counterpart Recep Erdogan also, the issue of deciding whether the Nabucco pipeline was a priority. He said he had received the full support of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

"We want to know if there is a roadmap for the project, when it will happen and will it happen at all," he explained.

Referring to the appeals of the European Parliament Jerzy Busek for a common energy policy within the EU, Borisov commented: "The same also applies to defense policy. Of course, we, as a NATO member, will comply, and all that concerns the security of Europe will be taken as measures."

He explained that bad weather had prevented a meeting to between PM Borisov and his Romanian counterpart Emil Boc, who will now pay an official visit to Bulgaria on February 26 and visit Vidin, where the Danube Bridge 2 is under construction.

"I don’t think the citizens of Vidin will be angry with us because the visit will be delayed with 10 days," he commented.

“If by the end of 2010 no funds are absorbed for construction, we will have to pay back to Brussels up to EUR 200 M." Therefore, Borisov has suggested that both countries should request a six-month extension to the project.

Finally, he refused to comment on media reports that Israeli and British authorities have established a link between Alexey Petrov and Michael Cherney.

""Any statement of the Prime Minister may affect the court in one or another direction. The fact is that, within hours, the American, the French, and the British Ambassadors came to our support with statements that far exceed even the commitments of one ambassador," Borisov stated.

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