EC Confirms Withholding Part of Bulgaria’s Recovery Plan Payment

The European Commission (EC) confirmed today, October 6, that it is temporarily withholding part of Bulgaria’s second payment under the Recovery and Resilience Plan, due to the country’s failure to meet one of the key milestones – the reform of the Anti-Corruption Commission.

The EC declined to specify the amount withheld, but Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev has already said that it concerns approximately €200 million.

Last month, the political group Renew Europe sent a letter to the Commission requesting that payments to Bulgaria be suspended, citing the arrest of Varna’s mayor, Blagomir Kotsev, and the alleged political use of the Anti-Corruption Commission.

On 23 July 2025, Bulgaria submitted its second payment request, amounting to €653 million. The EC determined that 58 out of 59 milestones and targets had been met, with the only outstanding reform being that of the Anti-Corruption Commission.

Bulgaria now has one month to respond to the Commission’s assessment. If, after that, the EC still considers the milestone incomplete, it will continue to withhold part of the payment temporarily. The country will then have six months to take corrective action and fulfil the remaining requirements. Once the reform is completed, the retained funds may be released.

Bulgaria’s Recovery and Resilience Plan encompasses a broad range of investment and reform measures, financed through €6.17 billion in non-repayable grants from the European Union.