EU-Funded Border Projects in Bulgaria at Risk

The absorption of some of the 160 million euros, granted to Bulgaria by the European Commission in September, is under risk because of short time frames, outgoing Deputy Interior Minister Philip Gounev said on Thursday.

The riskiest project that Bulgaria is due to carry out in the next 12 months involves setting up an integrated video surveillance system on the Bulgarian-Turkish border.

What could derail the project, which is of key importance for improving the work of the border police, is if some of the companies bidding for the project then appeal the procedure, which often happens with public procurements.

An additional problem is the resignation of the government of Boyko Borisov on November 14.

All projects under EU crisis funding must be completed by September 2017, which means short deadlines for applications. If the project for the installation of border cameras is appealed, the time frame would be almost impossible to meet.

Around 80 per cent of the 160 million euros is due to be spent on border protection and security, while the other 20 per cent would go on improving capacities in asylum centres.

Over 100 public procurements will be launched in the following weeks, to cover purchases of new vehicles, equipment and an integrated IT system for the border police among others.

Gounev predicted that the outgoing government would have to launch the project procedures, an interim government would then have to sign the contracts and a new government elected next spring would have to monitor their implementation, which is highly complex and could mean losing money on some of the EU-funded projects.

"We hope that, regardless of the political storms, the projects can be carried out," he said.

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