Rumen Radev: The European Commission is launching an excessive deficit procedure against Bulgaria, sanctions are possible

Prime Minister Rumen Radev announced that on June 3, the European Commission will launch an excessive deficit procedure against Bulgaria. According to him, the reason is that the country’s budget deficit exceeds 3 percent, which will lead to enhanced monitoring, restrictive measures and possible sanctions.

“This is the result of the heavy legacy we’ve inherited - populism, incompetence, arbitrariness and plunder”, Radev stated. 

The prime minister also reported positive results following his meetings in Brussels. According to him, Bulgaria managed to unlock 370 million euros under the Recovery and Resilience Plan even before the final adoption of the laws on the Anti-Corruption Commission and the reform of the Prosecutor General’s Office. “This is a result of the trust in the government”, he emphasized.

Radev also stated that "Mini Maritsa East" and TPP 2 will continue to operate until 2038. According to him, our country has succeeded in convincing the European Commission of the need for a smooth transition in the energy sector and the phased reclamation of coal-mining regions.

The Prime Minister also announced progress on the reform of the water and sanitation sector, noting that the interests of Bulgarian municipalities will be protected. “I expect that with a great deal of hard work, we will be able to absorb a significant portion of the funds under the Operational Program for Water and Sanitation, but this means no vacation for the Council of Ministers until the end of August”, Radev stated.

He also announced that, after years of delays, the European Commission will give the green light for the environmental assessment of the Yadenitsa Dam, which will pave the way for expanding the project with European funding and increasing its energy capacity.

Regarding the Just Transition Fund, the prime minister noted that the country could attract significant funds for coal-mining regions if work on the projects is accelerated. “At the next meeting, I am inviting the mayors of Stara Zagora, Pernik and Kyustendil so that we can ensure these funds reach the people through new jobs and industrial zones”, he said.

Radev stated that he had agreed with the President of the European Commission on the possibility for Bulgaria, Greece and Romania to develop joint cross-border infrastructure projects for which European funding would be provided. “Next week, I expect the Greek Prime Minister, as well as a representative of the Romanian government, to visit Bulgaria so that we can continue these discussions”, the Prime Minister noted.

He also commented on the issue of visa waivers for Bulgarian citizens traveling to the United States. Radev stated that he had raised the question with the U.S. president, but so far there has been no positive response. The prime minister also announced that the Council of Ministers will extend the stay of the tanker aircraft at Sofia Airport until the end of June to give our allies time to redirect their operations.