EU regional policy commissioner Danuta Huebner and PM Sergei Stanishev signed yesterday the country’s operation programme for competitiveness. Two other operational programmes for Human Capital Development and Administrative Capacity are approved by the European Commission, reads a press release of the government. The country expects EUR 158mn by the end of the year under the three policy areas and hopes to sign the remaining four operational programmes in the same period. The EU budget has
earmarked a total of EUR 7bn in non-reimbursable post accession funds for Bulgaria until 2013. In addition, the country is receiving EU grants under pre-accession funds with contracting deadlines set to expire in 2-3 years. However, a large share of the funds’ disbursement will depend on the local capacity for contracting and utilisation of EU grants. Danuta Huebner said during the signing ceremony that Bulgaria’s is among the first member states with approved strategic national reference frameworks.