Bulgaria to Receive EUR 105 M in EU Aid to Most Deprived

The European Commission approved Friday an operational program envisaging the allocation of EUR 104.8 M to the most deprived in Bulgaria.

The program spans the period 2014-2020 and it will provide basic material assistance for the poorest citizens of the country.

The program will be backed with an additional sum of EUR 15 M from the state budget, according to reports of dnevnik.bg.

Marianne Thyssen, European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, said that the program for Bulgaria would assist the country's efforts aimed at reducing the number of people suffering from material deprivation.

She said that the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) would help Bulgaria achieve its target of lifting 60 000 people above the poverty threshold by 2020.

In Bulgaria, FEAD will finance the distribution of individual food packages and warm meals from soup kitchens, as well as accompanying social services.

The activities financed under FEAD will be launched in the winter of 2014.

They will be organized by municipalities and partner organizations, which will make home deliveries to people with impaired mobility.

Food aid will be received by social assistance recipients, pensioners receiving low pensions, people entitled to home heating assistance, and people whose incomes are lower than the differentiated minimum income.

Warm meals will be offered to the homeless and the victims of natural disasters and similar emergency situations.