site.btaCabinet Restarts Investment Programme for Municipal Projects, Receives 2,000 Submissions

The Council of Ministers restarted the Investment Programme for Municipal Projects with a decree on Wednesday, Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Ivan Ivanov reported at a press briefing after Wednesday's Cabinet meeting. The programme, which Ivanov described as one of the most significant for the state, has already received some 2,000 submissions.

The Minister said that his team is ready to support and administer the projects. He specified that the municipalities' projects involve public municipal property and are aimed at improving street, sports and cultural infrastructure. The ultimate goal is to improve the Bulgarian people's quality of life.

Ivanov stressed that the allocating the funds was not influenced by the party allegiance of the particular local governments but by the projects' significance for the local people.

Minister of Finance Temenuzhka Petkova reported at the briefing that BGN 750 million has been allocated through the Regional Development and Public Works Ministry's budget in accordance with the law. Up to BGN 900 million can also be allocated through the Bulgarian Development Bank. She added: "The government has fulfilled its commitment. We show with this decision today that it is of key importance for Bulgarian municipalities to be able to implement projects that are of extreme strategic importance for each region."