/ world today news/ The Minister of Education and Science Prof. Nikolay Denkov and the Deputy Prime Minister for European Funds Malina Krumova will give a press conference on the occasion of the EC letter about problems in the Operational Program “Science and Education for Intelligent Growth” on February 13.
Prof. Denkov was the deputy minister in charge of the operative program in question, which he developed since 2012 and which was approved by Brussels. When Meglena Kuneva took over the Ministry of Education and Culture, she took away his portfolio, and he resigned.
On the last working day of last week, it became clear that the operational program “Science and Education for Smart Growth” is about to be suspended due to numerous irregularities found by inspectors in Brussels.
Then it became clear that the interim payments were frozen until the irregularities were rectified, and the EC threatened to suspend the program. The warning letter to the Bulgarian authorities was sent on February 9 and addressed to the Director of the Main Directorate of Structural Funds and International Educational Programs in the Ministry of Education and Culture Tsvetana Gerdzhikova, the Director of the Audit of European Union Funds IA Ludmila Rangelova and the head of the certification body Manuela Milosheva On the same day, the official minister, Prof. Nikolay Denkov, demanded the resignation of Tsvetana Gerdzhikova.
Later, in a comment on the subject, the official minister stated that the EC’s letter requires certain decisions from the Ministry of Education and Culture in coordination with the Deputy Prime Minister for European funds and in agreement with the EC.
“If the approach to the implementation of the Operational Program “Science and Education for Smart Growth” is not changed, there will be problems, and we see what can be expected with this approach. I was not heard, and therefore measures must be taken very quickly now to put the program back on the right track,” said Denkov on Friday.
However, Denkov reassured that payments for already started projects, including for European scholarships for students, are not in danger, as they are currently financed with funds from the budget of the Ministry of Education and Culture.
The European Commission criticizes the management and implementation of the program within the MES. One of the stated problems is that in the ministry the functions between the three types of units are not clearly distinguished: the one that gives the money; the units that implement projects and the unit that checks their implementation.
The EC wants the recipients of funds to be unable to influence those who provide them. And there should be an independent check on whether the money is spent lawfully and expediently.
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