EIB will assist the implementation of the seven operational programmes with 700 million euros

Sofia, Bulgaria – The European Investment Bank (EIB) will assist the implementation of the seven operational programmes with 700 million euros. The operational programmes are “Transport”, “Regional Development”, “Environment”, “Development of the Competitiveness of Bulgarian Economy”, “Human Resources Development”, “Administrative Capacity” and “Technical Assistance”. The Draft Credit Agreement between Bulgaria and EIB envisages this. For the last 15 years EIB has invested 1.2 milliard euros in Bulgaria and is one of the international financial institutions which have considerably assisted the process of Bulgaria’s EU accession.

The credit will be a global structural loan and the money will be received in the central budget. They are meant for assisting the national co-funding of the operational programmes implemented with money from the Structural EU funds and the Cohesion Fund. With this loan EIB will act like a potential co-funding structure of assured investments in the operational programmes according to the National Strategic Reference Frame, approved by the European Commission.

Mainly strategic infrastructure projects according to OP “Transport” and OP “Environment” will be funded with money from EIB.

The selection, preparation, implementation and monitoring of the projects will be defined in the regulations applicable for the Cohesion Fund, the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the European Agriculture Regional Development Fund.