Municipal projects should be prioritized according to their importance for the development of local communities, while funding should be provided under clear and predictable rules, Regional Development and Public Works Minister Ivan Shishkov said Monday. He was speaking at a panel titled “Predictable Funding and Quality Implementation of Municipal Investments” during a forum held here as part of the Annual Meeting of the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria.
Shishkov said municipalities faced uncertainty over the implementation of the investment programme and delays in payments over the past two to three years. Intensive efforts are now under way to clear the backlog and restore the normal pace of payments, he added.
The Minister attributed the delays to accumulated problems, the political crisis and uncertainty over whether the programme would continue. This had affected both municipalities as contracting authorities and construction companies, with some of the delays occurring during the most suitable period for construction work.
Shishkov said the Government, including the Finance Minister, was working to ensure that the programme continued and that the necessary funding was secured. The aim was to make the programme more predictable and restore payments to municipalities. He added that projects for which applications had been submitted by the end of 2025 could also be considered for inclusion.
The approach to investment planning also needs to change, Shishkov said. The previous model had encouraged municipalities to race to prepare projects as quickly as possible in order to secure funding. “Clear, meaningful and most important projects should come first, and the funding should follow,” he said.
The State and municipalities should jointly identify priorities for the development of regions and communities, develop a common strategy and direct funding towards the projects of greatest importance, Shishkov said. This would allow municipalities to plan with greater certainty that the necessary financing would be available.
He also called for a long-term perspective for the municipal investment programme. State support for municipalities is not simply support for mayors, but for the people who live in those communities, he said. The objective should be to achieve the greatest possible improvement in living conditions with the available resources while avoiding waste of public funds.
He added that existing delays should be overcome, predictability in funding restored and priority investments for the coming years planned in parallel.
Regional Development Minister Calls for Clear Priorities, Predictable Funding for Municipal Projects THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-10-12 11:08:10
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