Head of State receives Celine Gauer, Head of the EC Recovery and Resilience Task Force

For Bulgaria, the Recovery and Resilience Plan is not just a financial means, but an opportunity for a real modernisation of the country. Therefore, the projects set out in the Plan must ensure the sustainable development of the Bulgarian economy, President Radev said during a meeting with the visiting Head of the EC Recovery and Sustainability Task Force, Celine Gauer. The meeting was attended by the Deputy Prime Minister for EU Funds Management, Atanas Pekanov, and the Minister of Energy, Rossen Hristov.

The head of State highlighted the importance of the funds earmarked for Bulgaria under the Recovery and Resilience Plan, which are aimed at bringing development in essential areas such as education, healthcare and the judiciary. The reform of the Bulgarian judiciary, including the work of the prosecutor's office, is also necessary to increase the predictability and transparency of the economic environment in the country, the President stressed. In this regard, he added that the caretaker government had developed and submitted to the National Assembly the bills in the field of the rule of law, necessary for the second payment under the Plan.

Bulgaria has the ambition to continue establishing itself as an energy hub in the region with the implementation of innovative and environmentally friendly technologies, Radev added, stressing that the projects related to the Recovery and Resilience Plan should contribute to a sustainable and socially just transition by ensuring the best national energy mix and at the same time taking into account Bulgaria's energy role in the region. Consequently, it is crucial to seek long-term solutions for the generation and storage of clean renewable energy. The President highlighted as examples of the use of modern technologies in the energy sector, already applied in other countries, the capture and storage of carbon dioxide, the possibility of building a photovoltaic plant with a large capacity for environmentally friendly electricity generation, as well as the production of green hydrogen. It is of key importance for Bulgaria that the transition to a green economy leads to the preservation and development of the employment of those working in the energy sector and in the coal mining regions of the country, President Radev further stressed.