The European subsidy of BGN 62 million (around EUR 31 million) under the “Energy renovation of Bulgarian homes” project may be lost as the deadlines have not been kept. The Association of Home-Owner Societies has cautioned that the delay jeopardizes this country’s participation during the next programming period. A total of 39 societies from 11 towns are members of the association. More than 180 buildings throughout Bulgaria should be retrofitted by the end of 2015 with the assistance of the Operational Programme Regional Development.

But due to an 18-month delay by the Ministry of Regional Development, Bulgaria will most probably be deprived of the European subsidy. Nobody can answer the question why it is that in August, i.e. two whole years after the project’s launch, only two residential buildings in the entire country are being renovated. At the same time, Ministry of Regional Development officials are not saying how they intend to meet the terms and conditions set down in the operational progamme, seeing as no less than 180 buildings should be renovated using European funding over the next 12 months. One more thing that worries the people from the Association of Home-Owner Societies is that their money (the share that has to be put up by the people living in the building) is levied at the Corporate Commercial Bank which was placed under special supervision by the Bulgarian National Bank.

How much of the citizens’ money is blocked in the bank, money they are applying for the programme with, and how will the project continue. Here is Diana Dimitrova, Deputy-chair of the Association of Home-Owner Societies:

“According to the information we have, different societies have deposited around BGN 400,000 at the Corporate Commercial Bank. We have no way of knowing what will happen to this money. The Ministry is keeping us totally in the dark. Urgent measures must be taken to find out whether the money will be transferred to another bank and what will happen to it. Because besides the sum at the Corporate Commercial Bank, that is also where the home renovation fund is deposited; from that fund people should be given credit if they are unable to cover the costs. To this moment we have absolutely no idea what will happen to this fund.”

Citizens are expecting to see caretaker Minister of Regional Development Ekaterina Zaharieva take immediate action to prevent Bulgaria’s losing this European funding. Association members say that because of all impediments connected with the Corporate Commercial Bank and the Ministry of Regional Development, conflict has been brewing among the residents and the building managers and people simply don’t know what is going to happen. Especially seeing as many of the people applying under the operational programme are either unemployed or elderly and have found it difficult to put up the BGN 500 (EUR 250) necessary for applying. Now these people are relying on the institutions for support with the winter season knocking at the door and the coming stiff utility bills.

English version: Milena Daynova