INFRASTRUCTURE STRATEGY GROWS HEAVIER

At least for the present, the mega category also refers to the figures in the document. Over EUR13BN worth investments are planned for the period 2006-2015. They will amount to EUR5.2BN by 2009 and to EUR8BN - in the remaining six years. The Government's top priority will be the construction of the highway network in the country. By 2015, there should be 714 km of highways completed in Bulgaria and another 90 km will be put in exploitation by year-end. The cabinet will rely on public-private partnership for the building of the highways Struma, Hemus and Cherno More. "In most of the Easteuropean countries, concessions appeared failure. That's why we are careful now. We expect stable investors who will come thanks to you", Mr. Stanishev addressed the foreign diplomats. Energy will be the Government's other top priority. The accent will be put on large projects such as Belene nuclear power plant and the construction of Nabuko gas pipeline which will transport Caspean and Iranian natural gas through Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania to Central and Western Europe. It's curious that the Prime Minister pointed the construction of a highway gas pipeline to Serbia as another major project. The building has been part of the plans of the state-owned company Bulgargas for at least five years now, but no concrete actions have been made so far because of lack of coordination between Belgrade and Moscow. "Efforts for development of the public gasification appear insufficient, either", Mr. Stanishev said. Just 15% of all municipalities in Bulgaria use natural gas in households, whereas in the European Union the figure goes beyond 80%, he added. All tasks mentioned in the strategy will be carried out with resources from the European funds, as well as with the support of the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the World Bank and the Bank for Development of the Council of Europe, financial minister Plamen Oresharski explained. The minister took part in the meeting with the ambassadors, too. For each of the following three years the ministry expects EUR500MN from EIB. After 2009, the money will grow to EUR700MN a year. The launching mechanism will be settled in a special memorandum that will be signed by end-autumn, Minister Oresharski promised.