The European Commission (EC) said on July 2 that it has given a positive assessment of Bulgaria’s modified recovery and resilience plan.
It now includes a dedicated REPowerEU chapter, which covers new measures to promote energy poverty, support electricity market liberalisation, promote renewable energy deployment, storage and use.
Bulgaria has adjusted its plan to reflect new realities, including higher costs linked to inflation, supply chain disruptions and changing market demands, the EC said. The revised plan is worth 6.17 billion euro in grants and covers 50 reforms and 51 investments.
Bulgaria’s revised plan has a strong emphasis on the green transition, with 49.9 per cent of the total allocation dedicated to climate-related measures, the EC said.
The statement said that the digital transition is also a key priority, with 20.6 per cent of the plan’s funding earmarked for initiatives such as expanding high-speed internet coverage, enhancing digital skills, and digitalising public administration and businesses.
The plan also maintains its important social dimension. It includes measures aimed at modernising education, as well as improving, and enhancing access to long-term healthcare.
The Council of the EU has now four weeks to review and endorse the EC’s assessment.
Bulgaria has already received 1.37 billion euro as part of its first payment under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), the centrepiece of NextGenerationEU.
The Commission will continue to pay out funds based on the country’s progress in implementing the planned reforms and investments, the statement said.
(Photo: Bulgaria’s Interior Ministry)
