The Seventh Committee for the ISPA Programme Monitoring in Bulgaria was held in the town of Hisar on 2 and 3 June 2004, on the report about the progress achieved in the approved projects for financing in the sectors of transport and environment

The Seventh Committee for the ISPA Programme Monitoring in Bulgaria was held in the town of Hisar on 2 and 3 June 2004, on the report about the progress achieved in the approved projects for financing in the sectors of transport and environment. The representatives of the Regional Policy Directorate General of the European Commission expressed their satisfaction over the progress achieved in the implementation of the ISPA programme in Bulgaria for the last six months. Mr. Erich Untervuzaher, Director for Bulgaria and Romania at the EC Regional Policy Directorate General, underlined that contracts are being concluded and the work is much more dynamic in comparison with 2000 – 2002. Specific recommendations were made for the successful implementation of each project and guidelines were provided for the programming process of the future investment projects to be funded by the ISPA programme and the EU Cohesion Fund. At the session in Hisar it was announced that Financial Memorandum for 16 MEURO was signed – including almost 13 MEURO by ISPA, to provide technical assistance for institutional strengthening and project preparation in the water sector and the waste management sector in Bulgaria which will be funded by the ISPA programme and the Cohesion Fund. The beneficiaries of the project are the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, the Ministry of Environment and Waters, as well as the regional waste & sewerage companies in the towns of Bourgas, Dobrich, Kjustendil, Rousse, Sliven, Vratza, Blagoevgrad, Kardzhali, Pernik, Plovdiv, Stara Zagora, Vidin and Yambol. The ISPA Implementing Agency within the MRDPW also presented the progress of the project for construction of wastewater treatment plants in the basin of Maritza River for the towns of Stara Zagora, Dimitrovgrad and Haskovo as well as their work on the new investment projects in the water & sewerage sector. The EC representatives reported on the achievements of the ISPA IA within the MRDPW regarding the project and, in particular, the start of the evaluation of the submitted offers for the wastewater treatment plants in Stara Zagora and Dimitrovgrad. They congratulated the MRDPW on the joint work with international financial institutions to provide co-financing for the future ISPA measures. PR & International Relations Directorate