Bulgaria will receive about 15 billion euros from the EU to tackle the coronavirus crisis, of which 3.3 billion will have to be repaid within 30 years. The rest will be free. This was said to BNT by Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva.

She explained the future of the Union: "After many crises, the EU is coming out stronger. For the first time, Brussels is offering this € 750 billion bailout - € 500 billion in grants, € 250 billion in loans. This shows even more. great integration of our policies. According to her, every country in the EU must propose a plan for their use.

"I am convinced that this plan in Bulgaria will be developed in consultation with business," Zaharieva said.

Ekaterina Zaharieva insisted on talking more actively in Europe about the community budget, because the crisis with COVID-19 will be more severe than the financial one in 2009.

"Our economies are so connected that even the countries that have introduced small restrictive measures, Sweden, for example, turn out to be one of the hardest hit," she added.

The Foreign Minister of Bulgaria also reported on the gradual recovery of movement in Europe. "First with neighboring countries, then with countries with similar risk and hopefully at the next stage, after June 15 - the full restoration of free movement within the EU," she said.

Zaharieva reminded that since yesterday Bulgaria has lifted the quarantine for 29 countries, and it is maintained at the discretion of the headquarters for people coming from countries with higher risk.