site.btaDeputy PM Donchev: EUR 440 Mln Expected from Second Payment under Recovery and Resilience Plan

Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Innovation and Growth Minister Tomislav Donchev told journalists here on Tuesday that EUR 440 million are expected to be disbursed from the second payment under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.

Of 59 milestones on which the second payment depends, Bulgaria has implemented 58, said Donchev, adding that the European Commission has confirmed that it is freezing approximately EUR 200 million, giving the country six months to work with the Commission services to completely rethink the existence and functioning of the Anti-Corruption Commission. The reason for this is that, in the opinion of the European Commission, a Constitutional Court decision of 2024, which lowered the required majority for the election of the Anti-Corruption Commission from 160 to 120 MP votes, does not ensure its political independence. "We can hardly object to this argument," the Deputy PM commented. "This will be a difficult process because at least half of the political forces in the Bulgarian National Assembly have directly called for the closure of the Anti-Corruption Commission because it is perceived as a tool of political repression," Donchev added.

"On the one hand, we have expert work with the colleagues of the European Commission in search for a new design, a new manner of functioning of the Anti-Corruption Commission. On the other hand, we face the difficult task of persuading the parties at the National Assembly, but we'll try," he went on to say.

On Monday, the European Commission announced that it will announce in a month's time what amount under the Recovery and Resilience Plan for Bulgaria it may withhold if the requisite conditions are not met.