site.btaGovernment Expects Third Payment Under National Recovery Plan by Year's End

Speaking at the start of Wednesday’s Council of Ministers meeting, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said that Bulgaria expects to receive the third payment under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan by the end of the year.

"Yesterday, Bulgaria received the second payment under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan - EUR 440 million, which is the European Commission’s recognition of the milestones we have reached to secure the second payment," Zhelyazkov said, noting that it was the first payment under the Plan in three years. "This payment proves that when Bulgaria demonstrates political will, determination, and expertise, it can earn the confidence of the European Commission," Zhelyazkov said. He noted that 58 of the 59 targets have already been met — a result that not only secured the second payment but also paves the way for the third, as the two are closely linked.

"I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the European Commission for its trust in the Bulgarian government, as well as to Ministers [Tomislav] Donchev, [Temenuzhka] Petkova, and [Georgi] Georgiev - and to every minister individually - for ensuring that the Government, as a team, managed to meet this challenge. We may not talk much, but we are certainly one of the most effective governments, and I am grateful for that," the Prime Minister added.

Zhelyazkov said that the third payment, amounting to nearly EUR 1.6 billion, is expected by year’s end. He noted that "with these payments, the Government ensures the stability of Bulgaria’s financial system and reforms." "The second and third payments involve the most complex reforms in the Plan - covering areas such as energy, education, public procurement, anti–money laundering, and the rule of law, among others. Parliament will continue its work on these reforms, and I am confident that the Government and the ruling majority will overcome this major challenge, which has been both delayed and neglected in recent years," he said.