Bulgaria Speeds up ISPA Projects, Hopes for Brussels Mercy

Politics » BULGARIA IN EU | April 26, 2010, Monday // 14:07
Bulgaria: Bulgaria Speeds up ISPA Projects, Hopes for Brussels Mercy

Bulgaria’s government will speed up five projects under the pre-accession ISPA program, whose deadlines for completion the European Commission refused to extend, a deputy minister has said.

“All five projects are advancing very quickly and the Environment Ministry believes that they will be wrapped up by the end of the year,” Deputy Environment Minister Ivelina Vassileva said on Monday.

The projects include the regional garbage depot in the southern town of Kardzhali and the construction of integrated water cycles in the cities of Smolyan, Varna, Shumen and Balchik.

The five financial memoranda with Brussels, to be financed under the ISPA program, ensure free funding of EUR 100 M for the five projects. They were approved by the European Commission at the end of 2003, but were signed by the Bulgarian government in 2004. They are scheduled to be completed on December 31 this year.

Even though with slim chances for success, the Bulgarian government will approach Brussels with a request for extending the deadlines of the financial memoranda for the five projects.

“If Brussels says no and we are behind schedule, the projects will be completed with funds from the state budget,” the deputy minister explained.

The European Commission extended last week the deadline of the financial memorandum for the construction of a second bridge over the Danube River and another six environmental projects, due to be financed under ISPA program.

The memorandum with Brussels, to be financed under the ISPA program, ensures free funding of EUR 70 M for the bridge's construction and guarantees head-to-tail financing of the project. It was scheduled to expire in 2010, but now the deadlines has been extended by two years.

Following Brussels decision, six major environmental projects have been given a chance to be implemented by the end of 2011, including the desulphurisation installations at Maritsa East 2 thermal power plant, the construction of sewage channels in the capital Sofia, as well as the projects for integrated water management in the cities of Sliven, Russe and Kyustendil.

The total amount of financing allotted for the projects stands at EUR 227 M.

The European Commission said it has agreed to an extension of the deadline of projects under ISPA funding in Bulgaria and a few other member states in a bid to give them one more opportunity to develop the infrastructure and strengthen the economy.

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Tags: ISPA, Danube Bridge II

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