Minister Angelina Boneva in Brussels: I'm here to save European funds in a period of an extension budget

“I am here to save European money and investment in an extension period”

This was stated by the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Angelina Boneva. She participated in the High-Level Conference on Eastern Border Regions "Ministerial Group - From the Frontline to the Future: Securing and developing Europe’s eastern border regions’. 

In Brussels, the regional minister met with Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President ‑ of the European Commission for Cohesion and Reforms. With the partners from the committee, she discussed the progress in the implementation of the European programmes implemented by the MRDPW.

"The data for the implementation of the programme for the development of the regions in Bulgaria are not good, and under the Just Energy Transition Fund "absorption is zero", announced Minister Boneva. In her words, "we are going from zero and our ambitions are to achieve the end-of-year indicators set out in the programme." "The European Commission's request is that we start very intensive work", she added, stressing that all options are open so that our country can try to save the funds under the programme for this year. In her words, it is over EUR 600 million, "for which it will be necessary to work at full speed, but there will be European money", Angelina Boneva was adamant.

"Our country will join "with tremendous dynamism" in the Commission's new plan for investments in the eastern regions of the EU bordering Russia, Belarus and Ukraine," the regional minister said, explaining that the commission envisages to provide nearly 28 billion euros in private and budgetary investments in Bulgaria and in 8 other countries in the eastern part of the EU.

Speaking to the participants in the conference, the regional minister stressed that the sustainability and stability of the Black Sea region are among the most important ‑ priorities for Bulgaria. The fact that our country is included in the comprehensive strategy of the European Commission to strengthen support for the eastern regions of the EU on an equal footing with the other Member States is a clear political signal that Bulgaria is an integral part of the strategic eastern border of the Union.

Minister Boneva also noted that with continued geopolitical pressure in the Black Sea region, for us the most important issue is to ensure that critical infrastructure – transport connections, ports, energy systems and digital networks – remains functional and sustainable in all circumstances. Another important priority for our country is to increase the economic stability and investment security, as the eastern border regions face high risk under ‑, which affects the cost of loans, the attraction of private investors and the capacity of municipalities to implement projects.

"EU support for strategic connectivity corridors, including the Danube and Black Sea regions, must continue", said Minister Boneva and was adamant that strengthening the eastern border regions means strengthening the foundations of our common European home.