site.btaUPDATED Innovation Minister Pulev: Renegotiating Bulgaria’s Resilience Plan with EC Will Be Difficult

Caretaker Minister of Innovation and Growth Alexander Pulev said on BNR that renegotiating the terms of Bulgaria’s Recovery and Resilience Plan with the European Commission will be difficult and unpredictable, adding that the caretaker government will do its best to protect national interests. 

“Bulgaria's strategy on the green transition is clear. In the long run, like any civilized country, we are heading in this direction. It is not a question if, but rather when. And this is a very important question, which is subject to analysis in the Ministry of Energy. We see what is happening now - the energy map of Europe is being redrawn. We see what is happening in developed economies like Germany - all of them are temporarily activating their so-called dirty fuels. Why are they doing it? Not because the Germans are less attuned to the green transition, but because the focus is now on household consumers and families,” Minister Pulev explained. 

“This is a very difficult situation. I think that the initial attitude of the Commission is rather negative. After all, it has been a while since the Plan was approved, which will also make it difficult for us in the negotiations. The EC will be very careful not to set some kind of precedent as well. We are part of a big community: if some kind of concession is made for Bulgaria, claims from other countries will follow,” he added.

According to Minister Pulev, a capital injection of over BGN 1 billion for small and medium-sized enterprises is coming in the next few months. He stressed that the most awaited measure under the Plan is the procedure for RES and batteries for local energy storage, which has a budget of BGN 200 million.

"We have a huge interest from the business in it. With the measure we will help small and medium-sized businesses to produce energy for their own needs, it is not planned that the energy will be resold. The public consultation on the procedure has ended with 120 questions which will be reflected," Pulev said. He added that the application period would be extended from two to three months.

Asked whether he would remain a minister in the next caretaker cabinet, Pulev said that if he is offered the job, he will accept it.

In conclusion, the Minister said that Bulgaria now has a start-up visa and will be able to attract investors from outside the EU to develop high technologies here, as four governments in five years have made unsuccessful attempts to introduce the start-up visa.