“We set up a working group that will prepare an ordinance for standard documentation and contracts within the Public Procurement Act. In it will participate Deputy Prime Minister for European Funds and Economic Policy Tomislav Donchev, Public Procurement Agency, Bulgarian Construction Chamber and other industry organizations,” said Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Lilyana Pavlova during the 15th meeting of the Monitoring Committee of Operational Program Regional Development 2007 – 2013. “For the types of services will be introduced standard documents with requirements, criteria and methodology for assessment and standard contracts with contractors. Just in this respect our beneficiaries now are severely criticized and therefore cause massive financial corrections,” said Minister Pavlova. According to her, if the changes are adopted, this will solve the problem with appeals and will reduce penalties. “Standard documentation will be governed by a regulation within the PPA. It is expected to be finalized in 2015,” she added.
The meeting was also attended by Denitsa Nikolova, Deputy Minister of MRDPW and head of OPRD MA, representatives of the European Commission Marek Teplanski and Borislava Woodford and Eng. Ivan Boykov, Executive Director of BCC and Deputy Chairman of KRIB.
During the event it became clear that by the end of the month can be partly restored the suspended funds under Operational Program Regional Development and in January next year – completely opened. Analyses of the team of the Managing Authority of OPRD show there are 25 high-risk projects under the program for a total value of BGN 370 million. A list of alternative proposals for BGN 280 million is envisaged which is ready and to these can be shifted funds from the program so that European funding will not be lost.
Pavlova said that 2014 has been a year of challenges both for the program team and the beneficiaries who have experienced every problem and have been affected by the suspension of funds. She assured that the government’s efforts are directed towards the maximum payment under OPRD projects to minimize the losses of European financial resources and appealed to municipalities for fast certification.
At present the total budget of the program was about BGN 3 billion, 75% were the disbursed funds on current projects, became clear from the words of the minister.
“In addition to efforts for maximum absorption of EU funds under OP Regional Development 2007 – 2013 we already lay the foundation of the new OP Regions in Growth 2014 – 2020, under which we work actively for the adoption of rules governing the operation and management of the program,” Pavlova explained. According to her, everything possible should be done so that next year will not be zero for absorption of European financial resources. “I hope at the beginning of 2015 to be approved the final version of OPRD 2014 – 2020, to enable beneficiaries to prepare and submit projects,” stressed the minister. “With better coordination and mobilization of the institutions we can make the year 2015 not to be zero for absorption of funds under the program,” said Pavlova.
