site.btaFirst Contracts Signed under Innovations and Competitiveness Operational Programme

First Contracts Signed under Innovations and Competitiveness Operational Programme

Sofia, January 7 (BTA) - Economy Minister Bozhidar Loukarski Thursday handed over the first signed contracts under the Innovations and Competitiveness Operational Programme (ICOP) and urged the business to implement the projects properly.

A total of 202 projects have been approved in the first call for proposals under the ICOP which is for improving the production capacity in small- and medium-sized enterprises. The total grant aid for them is nearly 116.5 million leva.

Loukarski said that financial corrections will be imposed on beneficiaries whose business plans are not realized in the way they have been planned and approved. The Minister noted that the interest by the business in the first call for proposals exceeded all expectations and that nearly 850 applications were submitted. He said that the team of the Economy Ministry and of the Managing Authority of OPIC will look for every possible option to ensure additional financial resources for the nearly 500 project proposals which received positive assessment and which are now on the waiting list.

A call for proposals has been opened for implementation of innovations in enterprises with a budget of 50 million euro. Another call, for innovations in start-ups, with a budget of 10 million euro, is expected to be opened by the end of the month, Loukarski said.