site.btaBulgaria, World Bank Partner to Boost Impact of European Structural and Investment Funds

Bulgaria, World Bank Partner to Boost  Impact of European Structural and Investment Funds

Sofia, September 1 (BTA) - Bulgaria's Deputy Prime Minister for
EU Funds and Economic Policies Tomislav Donchev and the World
BankТs Vice President for Europe and Central Asia Cyril Muller
Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding, the Council of
Ministers information service said.
   
 "The World Bank stands by Bulgaria in the implementation of the
 country's EU agenda," said Muller during the signing, as quoted
 by the local world Bank office. "Going forward, we anticipate
under the new Country Partnership Framework that Bulgaria will
take full advantage of its World Bank Group membership in the
implementation of its EU Operational Programs and goals both
through government and private sector. The World Bank is
strongly committed to continue providing data, analyses and
evidence based advisory services in support of the Government's
priorities in the new EU programing period of 2015-2020."

According to Donchev, by the end of the year, all operational
programs of the new programming period will have become active
and 2015 won't be a zero year. We have a task - to avoid
mistakes already made, to speed up the procedures and to make
the whole process more transparent for all participants. In this
 context the MoU with the World Bank singed today is an
important prerequisite to leverage the impact of EU funds for
the benefit of all BulgariansФ, Donchev said. 

 Three agreements - Innovation RAS, Development and
Implementation of a Water and Sanitation Strategy RAS, and
Health Financing RAS - have been successfully completed. Under
the Health Financing RAS, for example, the World Bank provided
analytical and advisory services for the health sector, with a
focus on health financing, and has produced three major reports
focusing on different aspects of health spending. The Water and
Sanitation Strategy RAS supported the Ministry of Regional
Development in their drafting of a 10-year water supply and
sanitation strategy.