Bulgaria to Receive EU Funds of over EUR 15 B in 2013-2020 - PM

Politics » BULGARIA IN EU | February 15, 2013, Friday // 13:06
Bulgaria: Bulgaria to Receive EU Funds of over EUR 15 B in 2013-2020 - PM Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has boasted that Bulgaria will receive over EUR 15.4 billion in EU funds in the period 2013-2020 despite the reduction in the total EU budget. Photo by BGNES

Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has boasted that Bulgaria will receive over EUR 15.4 billion in EU funds in the period 2013-2020 despite the reduction in the total EU budget.

Borisov presented Friday in Parliament a report on the priorities of the government during the Cypriot and Irish EU Presidency.

Opposition MPs, however, argued that the debate on the 2013-2020 EU budget as delayed.

Borisov, as cited by the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR), claimed that the talks on the EU's multi-annual financial framework (MFF) had taken place amid tough conditions due to the economic crisis in Europe.

He noted, however, that a political decision had been reached despite the serious challenges, adding that Bulgaria had achieved the best results.

"Given the overall reduction in the budget for the common agricultural policy, Bulgaria is expected to receive more funds for direct payments and development of rural areas compared to the current programming period. Apart from that, Bulgaria will receive EU funding to the tune of EUR 260 million, up by EUR 75 million from the initial proposal of the European Commission, for the decommissioning of the units of the Kozloduy NPP," Borisov announced.

He insisted that Bulgaria would get over EUR 12 billion in net revenues from the EU under the new multi-annual financial framework, adding that for each euro the country contributed to the EU budget it would get more than five euro in return.

Borisov went on to say that Bulgaria would continue to participate actively in the negotiation process for the accession of new Member States, as well as Bulgaria's accession to Schengen, during the Irish EU Presidency.

Sergey Stanishev, leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), claimed that the government was incapable of conducting negotiations and defending Bulgaria's stance in the EU.

He emphasized that the debate on the EU budget for the next programming period had been delayed and voiced disapproval of the new multi-annual financial framework, stressing that Bulgaria's center-right GERB government had failed to negotiate more funding for agriculture.

Meanwhile, the right-wing Blue Coalition voiced worries that the newly adopted budget of the EU would lead to increased costs.

The ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) party commented that the funding for rural development had been dramatically reduced and Bulgaria's national priorities were largely unclear.

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Tags: Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, EU funds, multi-annual budget, EU budget, Sergey Stanishev, Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP, Blue Coalition, Movement for Rights and Freedoms, DPS, GERB government

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