Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Losing €8bn under RRP a huge mistake, former deputy prime minister for EU funds warns

Атанас Пеканов
Photo: Савина Спасова

Bulgaria has given up the fight for reforms and investments under the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), former caretaker deputy prime minister for EU funds Atanas Pekanov told BNR. He said that Nikolai Denkov's government had made a serious mistake by failing to pass the necessary laws, when it had a parliamentary majority.

The former minister warned that if Bulgaria did not use the funds under the RRP, there would be long-term consequences because the country would miss out on important investments.

"They all believe that because the economy is improving, this money is not needed in Bulgaria, but this is a grave strategic mistake. Losing 8 billion euros by refusing to accept reforms that would be helpful would be a huge act of self-sabotage," Atanas Pekanov said. He added that Bulgaria does not stand well among EU countries because of political instability and the lack of a regular government.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Bulgaria meets the final criterion for eurozone membership and will request a convergence report

According to data from Eurostat, Bulgaria has met the final criterion for joining the eurozone, namely price stability, Minister of Finance Temenuzhka Petkova announced at the beginning of an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers. She..

published on 2/24/25 5:00 PM

Rosen Zhelyazkov: Ukraine must be given guarantees for a lasting and just peace

Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov reaffirmed Bulgaria's support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. He participated in the summit initiated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to mark the third anniversary of..

published on 2/24/25 4:30 PM
Hungary's Minister of Agriculture István Nagy

Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia call on EC to restore pre-war import quotas for Ukrainian agricultural products

The Ministers of Agriculture of Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia have called on the European Commission to restore pre-war import quotas for Ukrainian agricultural products, said Hungary's Minister of Agriculture, István Nagy, as cited by BTA...

published on 2/24/25 1:44 PM