The European Operational Programs “Technical Assistance” and “Regional Development” received a green light for their funds use by Bulgaria.

The news was reported Tuesday by Finance Minister, Simeon Djankov, who announced Bulgaria has received a positive assessment for compliance after 4 months of hard work that allowed to make up for a 2-year delay.

Bulgaria's Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, and the Minister of Regional Development, Rosen Plevneliev, also took part in the press conference.

“The European Commission deemed our control and management mechanism adequate and the country now will have a new source of financing in the amount of EUR 6,4 B,” Djankov said, adding the previous cabinet, led by the Socialist, Sergey Stanishev, was the only one in Europe that has been refused the positive assessment on two occasions.

According to the Finance Minister, Bulgaria's biggest achievement is the creation of an EU funds information system just in the course of 2 months, which will allow intermediate payments, speed up the procedures while the funds will reach the beneficiaries faster.

On his part, Plevneliev informed that the funds payed through the “Regional Development” program in two and a half years amounted only to BGN 30 M while BGN 70 M have been payed in the last 6 months. Another BGN 400 M will reach the beneficiaries by the end of the year and BGN 1,5 B will be negotiated during the same time.

Borisov appealed to local authorities to start active work on the operational programs, pointing out Bulgaria can absorb BGN 3,4 B by the end of 2010.

“There is money now, for those who know how to get it. We will be able to see who the good Mayors are,” Borisov said.