Businesses, Government Discuss EU Funds

Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria (KRIB) Chairman Kiril Domouschiev told a meeting on Tuesday that it is the job of businesses to prepare and propose good projects while the government is supposed to run the Operational Programmes well. Domouschiev said that the meeting, entitled "Nine Paths to EU Funds 2015-2020," was intended to establish dialogue on key topics concerning the absorption of EU funds.

The event was attended by Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, members of his cabinet and over 150 senior business executives.

Domouschiev added that many positive steps have been made and many lessons have been learned in the first seven years of EU assistance to Bulgaria. The management of EU funds is pragmatic and takes into account the needs of businesses, he said.

He pointed to a disturbing rule according to which companies have to return 25 per cent of the aid they have received if they fail to achieve growth. KRIB wants easy access to cheap cash resources and is opposed to the practice of financial corrections.

Deputy Prime Minister for EU Funds and Economic Policy Tomislav Donchev said that 2015 will not be a "zero" year in terms of absorbing EU aid. This kind of aid will be the main driver of the Bulgarian economy, although it is not good for the country to rely mainly on EU money, but as a new member state Bulgaria needs to count on that, Donchev said. He noted that five of Bulgaria's seven new Operational Programmes have been approved.