The amount of contracted and paid out funds under OP Transport increased more than 80 times in the past three years, Transport, Information Technologies and Communications Minister Ivailo Moskovski reported. He attended a discussion entitled, "Lessons Learnt from the Current Programming Period" held within an exhibition "Europe For Us".

“As at the present date, 92%, or 3.6 billion leva, of the OP's budget have been contracted. The paid out funds stand at 1.190 billion, or about 30%,”Minister Moskovski also said. He explained that by the middle of 2009 these figures were alarmingly low but owing to the measures taken OP Transport reports increasingly higher results.

“I hope that we will succeed in availing ourselves as soon as possible from the European financing for BDZ Passenger Services,” Ivailo Moskovski added. He explained that the European Commission has approved a request to extend funds for the purchase of new trains in the next programming period. “We hope to make the terms as short as possible and launch a procedure on the purchase of new trains already next year,” the Minister said.

“It is also very important for us to implement the project on the modernization of the Central Railway Station in Sofia within the shortest term,” Ivailo Moskovski said. “The colleagues from the Railway Infrastructure National Company have already prepared the documentation within the project and only certain technical issues need to be clarified. I hope that in 2014 that facility will have a modern European appearance,” he added. In his opinion, owing to these projects, our railway transport stands chances to emerge from the heavy crisis of the past 20 years and be styled after the modern European railway systems.

Minister Ivailo Moskovski also dwelled on other projects that are to be completed during the present year stressing that due to the good performance an agreement has been reached with the European Commission to implement another two sections of the Sofia Underground during the present programming period.

Participating in today’s discussion were EU Funds Management Minister Tomislav Donchev, Deputy Minister of Environment and Water Ivelina Vassileva, the Chief Director of the Programming of Regional Development Chief Directorate with the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, Denitsa Nikolova, Kiril Geratliev, Chief Director of the European Funds for Competitiveness Chief Directorate with the Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism, Irena Purvanova, Director of the OP Technical Assistance Directorate, Chief Director of the European Funds, International Programmes and Projects Chief Directorate with the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, Natalia Efremova, Director of the OP Administrative Capacity Directorate with the Finance Ministry, Monika Dimitrova, Chief Director of the Management of Territorial Cooperation Chief Directorate with the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works Maria Douzova, Executive Director of the Fisheries and Acquacultures Executive Agency Dragomir Gospodinov and his deputy Irena Pencheva.

The "Europe For Us" exhibition, held in the 16-18 June period, takes place under the auspices of EU Funds Management Minister Tomislav Donchev. The event is organized by the Bulgarian Economic Forum in partnership with the Representation of the European Commission in Bulgaria and the Sofia City Hall. Participating in it were the managing authorities of all operational programmes, representatives of the local and executive authorities, of business, of beneficiaries under different projects, etc.