08.03.2024
More than half of the measures on the 18-month program of government have been implemented, some of them ahead of schedule, said Prime Minister Acad. Nikolai Denkov as he reported on the first nine months in office to the cabinet sitting. The Prime Minister singled out transparency as one of the leading priorities of his cabinet in the period under review. The Council of Ministers reported monthly the results of its performance on its website and at the regular meetings of the Prime Minister with citizens and media in the Facebook. In addition, answers were given to 56 inquiries and 1891 questions in the National Assembly; cabinet members had question time in Parliament on 13 scheduled and 8 emergency occasions.
In his report to the media on 8 March 2024, Prime Minister Acad. Nikolai Denkov underlined key achievements of the cabinet over the past nine months.
Though the cabinet took office in the midst of a severe institutional crisis and stagnation, nine months later Bulgaria is moving back to normal. Despite the recession in Western Europe, the Bulgarian economy continues to grow by nearly 2%. Inflation is at the lowest level ever in the past two years and continues to slow down. We register a record increase of foreign investment in the past 14 years. Bulgaria ranks second in wage growth in the European Union. Earned income outpaces inflation two and a half times. Budget 2024 is again centered on people.
From 31 March onwards, we will travel freely by air and water in the Schengen area. The next objective is to have land border controls lifted. The ambition is the accession of Bulgaria to the Eurozone on 1 January 2025.
Some other of the cabinet’s noteworthy results in foreign policy, security, infrastructure, energy, innovation, social sector and other and in the fight against corruption are summarized in Video
At the meeting of the cabinet with the media, Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov highlighted some other key results in the performance of ministries. The European Commission gave Bulgaria a go-ahead to Strouma Motorway. “We are starting the construction after years of delay. We hold all needed licenses,” Acad. Nikolai Denkov said. He added that in the period under review the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works completed and opened to traffic 30 kilometers of motorways and that another approximately 90 kilometers are to be opened for vehicles in the next nine months.
The Ministry of Energy caught up with the huge backlog in the Territorial Just Transition Plans (TJTPs) and in this way, BGN 2.3 billion was secured for the three regions: Stara Zagora, Pernik and Kyustendil. Part of the funds have already been transferred as an advance payment.
The Ministry of Transport and Communications successfully took control of Rossenets Port after the speedy termination of the concession.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food moved ahead a project that had been delayed for years to rehabilitate 24 canals of the Irrigation Systems Company.
For the first time the Ministry of Environment and Water took measures to put an end to the destruction of sand dunes under an approved mapping methodology.
The joint efforts of several institutions brought about the e-certificates to justify absence from school, e-prescriptions for patients and e-notification of fines for traffic violations.
All pupils, teachers and parents can now avail freely of the Digital Backpack that already has 30,000 electronic resources units and is about to be upgraded.
The Ministry of Justice launched an investigation into war crimes in Ukraine drawing on evidence of Ukrainian refugees in Bulgaria.
The Ministry of Labor and Social Policy enabled over 25,000 economically inactive individuals to enter the labor market.
The Ministry of Innovation and Growth issued 21 investment certificates under the Investment Promotion Act (IPA) in the amount of approximately BGN 500 million with a planned number of 2,010 new jobs.
The Ministry of Tourism signed an agreement to promote Bulgaria with the European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Association (ECTAA) as an umbrella organization of 80,000 travel agencies.
For the first time the Ministry of Youth and Sports launched a program to finance the young champions of Bulgaria.
The Ministry of Culture speeded up the updating of the register of immovable cultural values.
As to the fight against corruption, Nikolai Denkov recalled that the Ministry of Agriculture and Food withdrew from the contract that incredibly overpriced dairy products for schools and kindergartens. In addition, the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy saved BGN 300 million, approximately, from the insufficient control on and transparency of the distribution of vouchers for digital training of senior citizens. The Ministry of Sports started to refund the BGN 24 million prepaid by previous governments for the building of gyms that were not built.
“The cabinet’s program continues for the next nine months. With Mariya Gabriel we will do our utmost to make the transition smooth and with minimal turbulences and to continue to work together,” Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov said.
For her part, Deputy Prime Minister Mariya Gabriel noted the constructive tone in the cabinet. “We have shown that trials make us stronger. Together we can make the pace of work faster. Our program of government has been drawn up to meet the people’s expectations for the cabinet’s doings,” she said and expressed her expectation for faster progress in the set priorities.
