Coal mining will not be shut down in the foreseeable future
The decision to keep jobs in the region is called carbon capture, which is eligible for investment even by the European Investment Bank
On the topic of the European Green Pact, the Fair Transition Mechanism and the Recovery Mechanism, under which Bulgaria receives unprecedented financial resources, we are talking about current topics in the European Parliament with Andrey Novakov, MEP European People's Party (National Party: GERB). He shared the progress of the talks on the Mobility package and assessment of the implementation of the operational programs in Bulgaria. In the European Parliament, he is a member of several important committees: BUDG - Committee on Budgets, REGI - Committee on Regional Development.
Mr. Novakov, what part of the EU reconstruction funds have we used so far and in what areas?
Funds are not yet available for two reasons. All countries are about to ratify the decision on the new own resources of the European budget, which will help repay the European loan. Parliament will speed up the reform by allowing the use of the € 750 billion Next Generation EU reconstruction fund. In addition, the new sources of revenue will provide new funding for the EU budget, such as the plastic tax, and will help repay the debt created by the recovery fund.
The decision on own resources is the basis of the Rescue Recovery Plan. The European Commission is due to approve the national Recovery and Sustainability Plan within two months at the beginning of the summer. The country is continuously reallocating resources from operational programs for recovery measures, which will subsequently be reimbursed under REACT-EU. This is one of the instruments that will be funded by the Rescue Plan. These are funds that will then be redirected, so that our country loses absolutely nothing. On the contrary, we are flexible and use what is currently available. Not to mention that we will be able to invest the funds until 2026, which means real payments on projects.
How are the negotiations with Bulgaria developing regarding the Recovery and Sustainability Plan, what are the main criticisms or assessments?
Bulgaria's recovery and sustainability plan has been prepared and sent to the EC. I know that the initial assessment of the EC is positive, we are waiting for the final one. I am not aware of any changes that our country should reflect. Several public discussions were held, as a result of which the document itself swelled a lot with ideas that were received from the non-governmental sector. Subsequently, they were included in the document itself. I think that makes it pretty good.
However, the Plan does not contain specific information on how many additional private investments will be attracted to these BGN 12 billion provided under it, which is one of the main requirements?
In fact, this is exactly the idea present in the plan. For example, BGN 90 million for the rehabilitation of small and medium-sized enterprises under the Mechanism for Recovery and Sustainability and as much additional private funding through three thematic funds for technological modernization, green transition and digitalization. Private investment is present in the Recovery and Sustainability Plan. However, they come as a result of complementing already secure European funding. One of the reasons why private investment is currently lacking is risk. Then, when the EC intervened with the European budget. Then the risk falls and private investment will increase.