site.btaUPDATED Finance Minister Petkova: Those Affected by Forest Fires Will Receive Compensation from State Budget

All those who have been affected by forest fires will receive financial support from the state budget through cost restructuring, the caretaker Minister of Finance Lyudmila Petkova told to the members of the Parliamentary Budget and Finance Committee on Thursday.

Over 50 forest fires were reported across the country in past week. Data from the General Directorate of Fire Safety and Civil Protection of the Ministry of Interior show that 184 fires were extinguished over the past 24 hours and firefighters responded to 245 reported accidents.

The procedure for compensation will be launched in a day or two, following the procedures already known to the municipalities, the Minister added. 

The item on the provision of compensation from the state budget over forest fires was put on the agenda of the first meeting of the Budget Committee. However, before compensation is approved, damage assessments should first be made and claims submitted.

On Thursday, the Parliamentary Committee on Budget and Finance adopted a decision, ordering the Council of Ministers to immediately take the necessary action to provide resources and aid the victims of the wildfires in Bulgaria. The Committee's decision orders the Council of Ministers to provide the necessary funds and to take the necessary actions to purchase aerial firefighting equipment for the needs of the Interior Ministry.   

The Committee also orders the Council of Ministers to submit to the National Assembly a report on how the funds allocated under the Operational Programme "Environment" for the purchase of firefighting equipment for the prevention of forest fires have been used.

MP Yordan Tsonev of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms stressed that Parliament would discuss the Committee's report at its meeting on Friday following a decision by Parliament's Presidential Council.