Danuta Hübner roept Bulgarije op absorptiecapaciteit Europese subsidies te vergroten (en)

Regional policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner on Thursday called on the Bulgarian authorities to boost their country's capacity to absorb funding made available to it for 2007-2013. She made her remarks during a two-day visit to Sofia on 21-22 June to mark the signing of the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF), and to discuss preparations for Bulgaria's Operational Programmes (OPs) under Regional Policy.

Ms Hübner i held meetings with the Ministers of Finance, European Affairs, Transport, Environment and the Economy for discussions on their strategies for implementing regional policy. Referring to the signing of the NSRF, she welcomed the fact that the Framework 'includes a solid commitment to the Lisbon strategy for jobs and growth. More than 60% of the investments have been "earmarked" for Lisbon related expenditure.... I am confident that we can make an important contribution to improving the competitiveness of the Bulgarian regions through this new generation of cohesion programmes."

However, Commissioner Hübner asked her hosts not to underestimate the tasks ahead: " Bulgaria's capacity to implement the NSRF strategy, which represents €6.8 billion will be the key challenge for the coming years. This absorption capacity remains the Commission's major concern. Take as an example the environment and transport sectors: the challenge involves some 8 times the annual investing rate of the pre-accession period. Efforts to reform the administration and reinforce capacities are acknowledged but these need to be further increased at central level and to be introduced in an intensive manner at regional and local level."

The Commissioner also met the Mayors of Smolian, Strumiani, Sevlievo, the Deputy Mayor of Bourgas, the President and Executive Director of the National Association of Municipalities, the President of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions, the President of the Confederation of Employers and Industrialists and the Executive Director of the Center for Economic Development. " By involving all levels of government in the design and implementation of development strategies and projects, we are taking Lisbon down to Europe's citizens....we need to draw on the capacities of all those willing to get involved in creating new public value,' she said .

Commissioner Hübner also visited the Montana landfill site, a project funded under the pre-accession instrument ISPA, in North-Western Bulgaria. This site replaced 22 others in an effort to improve the management of non-hazardous waste. She was the guest of the Mayor of Montana, who made a presentation on his vision for the development of the municipality.