Kristalina Georgieva: Bulgaria's EU Funds Absorption Inefficient

It is the inefficient management of EU funds, and not money shortage, that poses the biggest challenge to Bulgaria, incoming Vice President for Budget and Human Resources Kristalina Georgieva said.

In an interview with the Bulgarian National Television she added among her main priorities was to help Bulgaria to absorb EUR 16 B in the 2014-2020 period.

Asked about her prospective contribution to Bulgaria's EU integration, Georgieva reminded of her proposal to the Commission that the funding scheme of Bulgaria and Romania's Danube Bridge 2 be restructured, a move which helped Sofia to save money.

She denied that any last-minute shifts had been made in the team EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker before he unveiled the Commissioner's portfolios.

"We agreed on the portfolio with Juncker the first time we met," Georgieva added.

She ended the interview by voicing her wish that a Bulgarian could head the next EU Commission.