Sofia - Bulgaria said Thursday it would itself pay for
projects which the European Union has refused to finance over
corruption suspicions.
'We have the right to finance projects with national means,'
Deputy Premier Meglena Plugchieva, who is tasked with
bringing the handling of EU aid funds into order, said.
Because of widespread mishandling of aid, Brussels two weeks ago
halted almost 500 million euros (773 million dollars) intended for
agriculture and infrastructure development of Bulgaria, which joined
the EU along with Romania in 2007.
Bulgaria's Socialist-led, three-party ruling coalition
nevertheless agreed to push the development projects along with
financing from a budget currently running at a surplus of 3.8 billion
leva (3 billion dollars).
The EU on Wednesday approved Bulgaria's plan, packaged together
with additional spending controls.
Brussels halted its payments after a European Commission report
cited evidence suggesting that senior Bulgarian officials had
diverted EU aid. The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) audited
Bulgaria's EU aid agency in June.
The cut-off involves yet-to-be spent 250 million euros from the
so-called PHARE programme that helps new members build institutions,
121 million euros for rural development and 115 million euros from a
fund for major infrastructure projects, mainly highways.
USA
Your Talkback on this Story