“For the first time, the Ministry of Environment and Water will provide national funds for measures against air pollution,” said Deputy Prime Minister for Climate Policy and Minister of Environment and Water Borislav Sandov in the beginning of his participation in the Environment Council of the European Union in Brussels.

Minister Sandov noted that among the important tasks and a priority of the policy is for Bulgaria to return to the European path of development and to improve the living environment of Bulgarian citizens.

There are many infringement procedures against our country, initiated by the European Commission, and among the most serious of those is the one for exceeding the norms for fine particulate matter.

For the first time, funds from the national budget in the amount of 47 million BGN will be allocated for emergency measures. The funding is intended for municipalities to implement measures to combat air pollution. Moreover, the second funding period under Operational Program Environment 2014-2021 will start, whereby the resources will be much larger and aimed at replacing heating appliances for households.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment and Water Sandov held a constructive meeting with the Executive Vice President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans, The two discussed the difficult tasks ahead for Bulgaria under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and the busy program related to the “For for 55” package during the French Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2022.

The full speech can be found here:

https://newsroom.consilium.europa.eu/events/20211220-environment-council-december-2021/132990-arrival-and-doorstep-bg-sandov-20211220