Sofia, Bulgaria - The Managing Authority of OP Environment opens a direct grant award procedure for 36 municipalities related to the preparation and implementation of investment projects on the construction of wastewater treatment plants and sewage networks within agglomerations with over 10.000 population equivalent aimed at achieving the requirements of the European legislation on urban waste water treatment and reduction of the disparities with regards to the share of the population connected to sewage system.

Potential beneficiaries are municipalities that are not prepared to apply with project proposals and have not received public financing so far. These municipalities have not carried out an analysis of the needs of the agglomerations and have not prioritized the objects and the measures that need to be implemented. The current procedure shall support them to develop and implement projects in order to achieve the requirements of the European and Bulgarian legislation.

The social and economic contribution of the investment of 600 million leva (306 million Euro) is undeniable - opening new jobs, as well as new opportunities for the business; the share of the population connected to a sewage system will grow.

According to the invitation project proposals may be submitted until 1 November 2010, 31 January 2011 and 30 June 2011. They will be evaluated by expert working groups after each of the three deadlines. The candidates should plan construction works so that the works are completed not later than 31 December 2014. Following the Council of Ministers Decision adopted in the beginning of August this year beneficiaries may receive advance payments up to 35 percent.

The total amount of the grant to agglomerations with over 10 000 population equivalent under the current procedure, together with the amount of the grant under the previous procedure opened in the end of June 2010, is 1,2 billion leva. It will cover the most urgent needs in order to achieve the requirements of the environmental legislation for 124 agglometrations.

Beneficiaries that would like to have consultations on the project preparation could send a request to ope@moew.government.bg.

Quelle: EU Structural Funds

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