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In April, the Ministry of Innovation and Growth is expected to open a measure for the development of industrial zones and parks in Bulgaria under the Recovery and Sustainability Plan (RPS).

The minimum amount of the grant for a project is BGN 3 million, and the maximum amount is BGN 40 million, the press center of MIR reports.

This became clear today in Vratsa during a forum organized by the Minister of Innovation and Growth Alexander Pulev

Alexander Pulev was born on February 5, 1981 in Plovdiv.

He is an MA in finance from Oxford, in relation to the possibilities for companies to apply for funding under the Recovery Plan and the Europrogrammes managed by the Ministry.

According to him, the budget of the procedure for industrial zones is BGN 212 million, and operators of industrial zones and parks will be able to apply for infrastructure projects for roads, railway lines and other elements of incoming and internal technical infrastructure, buildings for research laboratories and charging stations for electric vehicles, etc.

The public consultation will continue until March 23.

"I see great interest in Bulgaria in connection with the measure for the development of industrial zones on the part of Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

They really value our location and our people with qualifications and education", Minister Pulev explained.

According to him, the aim is to attract large groups of investors, mostly in Northern Bulgaria, to well-defined industrial zones, in which to develop their business.

"In this way, they will invest in infrastructure and create jobs," he added.

The procedure for the development of industrial zones is the fourth that the MIR will open along the lines of the PVU, it became clear already during the forum.

“The Ministry of Innovation and Growth is the most active ministry at the country level regarding the Recovery Plan.

Already at the end of last year, we announced the first 953 enterprises that will receive financing under the PVU under the "Technological Modernization" procedure with a budget of BGN 260 million," said Pulev.

He emphasized that the interest was also huge in the second procedure for "ICT solutions and cyber security" with a budget of BGN 30.6 million, under which 1,599 enterprises in our country will receive funding.

"We have approved projects from every area in the country, which is indicative of the interest in the procedures and proof that the Recovery Plan is open and working," added Pulev.

"Currently, the application under the third measure for "RES and batteries for local energy storage" is underway.

A much-awaited measure by business in our country, as we found out during our tour of the country to clarify the application according to the procedures of the PVU and the structural funds", pointed out Minister Pulev.

He also said that the budget of the procedure is BGN 200 million, as micro-, small, medium-sized and companies with up to 3,000 employees will be able to apply for grants from BGN 75,000 to BGN 1 million. it also became clear at the meeting that application under the measure has been extended from 1 to 3 months and there is almost no limit to eligible industries.

"In case we get more interest in the procedure, we will do our best to open the dialogue also along the lines of "REPowerEU" - an instrument similar to the Recovery Plan,

According to Pulev, BGN 1.2 billion will be available to Bulgarian business for the first six months of 2023 under the three directions for which MIR is responsible - the Recovery and Sustainability Plan and the two European programs - the Competitiveness and Innovation Program in enterprises" (PKIP) 2021-2027 and Program for scientific research, innovation and digitalization for intelligent transformation (PNIIDIT) 2021 - 2027. "By the end of the year, we will open 10 different procedures in the three directions.

There will be measures for family enterprises, circular economy, implementation and development of innovations, etc., said the minister.

Iliyana Ilieva, the Chief Director of the Directorate General "European Funds for Competitiveness" at MIR, indicated that there is now a new measure for family businesses and creative industries, according to which they will be able to apply for a total of BGN 117 million.

Minister Pulev: More than BGN 420 million is given by MIR for the development and implementation of innovations

The head of the Cabinet of the Minister of Innovation and Growth - Krasimir Yakimov, indicated statistics for the North-West region for the approved companies under the "Technological modernization" and "ICT solutions and cyber security" procedures.

According to the first, 17 projects have been approved for 5.5 million BGN from the Vratsa Region, 10 for 3.4 million BGN from the Montana Region and 3 for 800,000 BGN from the Vidin Region. For "ICT solutions and cyber security" there are 14 approved for the Vratsa Region projects for BGN 260,000 million, Montana Region – 5 projects for BGN 86,000 and Vidin Region – 1 project for BGN 20,000.

In front of the media in Vratsa, Minister Pulev also commented on the topic of the budget.

"We are responsible people and from the very beginning of the administration of the Service Cabinet, since August 2, we have been tightening our belts and approaching as conservatively as possible.

MIR is responsible for investments and a number of processes that are related to European money, but we are not responsible for heavy structures and a number of commercial companies," Pulev said.

He pointed out that the interim government has made a commitment to submit a detailed budget at the end of April.

"I hope that the upcoming parliament will approach it as responsibly and conservatively as possible, and not with wild populism.

Deputies should not take out the red markers, but be responsible," he also commented.

The regional governor of Vratsa, Georgi Mitov, as well as the regional governors of Montana - engineer Valeri Dimitrov and of Vidin - Ognyan Mihailov, mayors of municipalities, representatives of local business and media were also present at the forum.

Alexander Pulev

Ministry of Innovation and Growth

Vratsa