On June 1, 2011, the Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds together with business representatives discussed with the Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism the current state and the progress in the absorption of the European funds in the country under the “Development of the Competitiveness of the Bulgarian Economy” Operational Program 2007 – 2013.

The Committee Meeting has been joined by Mr. Evgeny Angelov – Deputy Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism, Mrs. Julieta Hubenova – Advisor to the Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism, Mrs. Greta Dobreva – Director, “European Funds for Competitiveness” Directorate at the Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism, Mrs. Mariana Velkova – Executive Director, Bulgarian SME Promotion Agency and Mr. Tzvetan Stoevski – Director General, “Competitiveness and Innovations” Directorate General at the Bulgarian SME Promotion Agency.

The business representatives Mr. Vasil Velev – Chairman of the Governing Board of the Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association and Mr. Kamen Kolev – Vice President of the Bulgarian Industrial Association and Chairman of the Council for Public Consultations at the Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds have also shared their position on the issue.
A series of concrete questions related to the Operational Program implementation have been discussed during the Meeting and the following key accents can be highlighted:
• The concluded grant award contracts amount at 821,4 mln. leva (36,1% of the allocated funds under the Program) and approximately 473,3 mln. leva (20,8% of the allocated funds under the Program) have been paid. At about 37 mln. leva have been paid under the Program only in the last almost 6 months;

• The main obstacles for the Program implementation so far have been marked together with the respective corrective measures undertaken. For the additional implementation optimization active measures are being taken aimed at merging the Managing Authority and the Intermediate Body into a Single Unit under the Program;

• The progress under the Joint Initiative in the area of energy efficiency of the Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism and EBRD in the context of the Operational Program has also been presented. It is in practice a pilot initiative for the whole EU and the success of its implementation in the country will predetermine the future application in the other Member States;

• The new approach for the selection and support of technological parks under the Operational Program in the country has been outlined. The resources will be focused on spheres where high potential for stimulation of the „business - science” interaction exists, that in turn will generate new opportunities for the companies and the youth and science as a whole;

• The plans of the Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism for opening almost the entire Operational Program as a funding opportunity by the end of the year have also been discussed.

The presentation and discussion of the information on the progress under the Operational Program above is a part of the series of hearings before the Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European Funds aimed at exerting political control over the activity of the state administration structures engaged in the management of the European funds in the country. The materials and the debates of the meetings will be used in the elaboration of the Interim and Annual Reports of the Committee on the absorption of the EU funds in the Republic of Bulgaria.


The Report from the hearing can be found at (available only in Bulgarian):



http://www.parliament.bg/bg/parliamentarycommittees/members/240/reports/ID/2754