Bulgarian cabinet approves 26.5M leva to overcome aftermath of floods, earthquakes
Bulgaria’s caretaker cabinet has approved additional spending of more than 26.5 million leva (about 13.5 million euro) to prevent and overcome the effects of natural disasters including floods and earthquakes.
Several places in Bulgaria, including parts of the Black Sea coast, were hard-hit by serious flooding in summer 2014 that caused deaths and widespread damage to buildings and infrastructure.
The announcement by the caretaker cabinet of its October 15 decision comes five days after the European Commission recommended spending 10.5 million euro from the EU’s Solidarity Fund to help Bulgaria deal with the aftermath of the floods this past summer.
The cabinet said that more than 21.7 million leva will be transferred to municipalities and the rest will go to the ministries of interior, health, defence, education, regional development, transport, information technology and communications, as well as the budget for regional governors.
It said that the main purpose of the spending approved on October 15 was for rescue services and to restore buildings and infrastructure. Money also will be spent on strengthening or demolishing buildings that have become dangerous or unfit for habitation because of floods or earthquakes.
