site.btaRoad Infrastructure to Be Priority in Funding Municipalities under Rural Development Programme 2014-2020

Road Infrastructure to Be Priority in Funding Municipalities under Rural Development Programme 2014-2020

Sofia, December 14 (BTA) - The most significant increase in the budgets of the programmes for developing farming in the 2014-2020 programming period is within the part concerning municipalities' development. The biggest challenge facing the Agriculture and Food Ministry and its most important political goal is to invest these resources in activities that the local community needs the most, Agriculture and Food Minister Dessislava Taneva said in reply to a BTA reporter's question about the funding priorities in the new programming period. On Monday Taneva took part in a forum on "Municipalities in the 2014-2020 Programming Period" in Sofia.

The first priority is road infrastructure because of villages' very limited budget for investments, Taneva said. Next come kindergartens in villages in a difficult socio-demographic state. Another priority are community centres and boards of trustees, which can apply both for repair works and equipment as social centres, the minister explained.

Taneva underscored that in 2014-2020 no resources will be allocated for "mega sports facilities" in small municipalities; money will be provided only for small sports grounds that meet the social needs of the local community.

Within the criteria for projects under the individual measures of the Rural Development Programme, priority will be given to those from the Northwestern Region of Bulgaria due to its underdevelopment, the Agriculture Minister also said.