The European Commission has confirmed that it has received a letter from “Renew Europe” concerning judicial reform in Bulgaria, payments under the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), and the arrest of the mayor of Varna.
'Renew Europe' Calls on European Commission to Halt Payments to Bulgaria under the Recovery and Resilience Plan
“We are aware of the situation and the allegations. In such cases, it is up to the Member States and national authorities to take the appropriate follow-up actions. However, as a rule, the establishment of an anti-corruption commission in Bulgaria is an important part of the reform the country has undertaken in the field of anti-corruption, and this is included in Bulgaria’s Recovery and Resilience Plan. The structure and operational independence are key requirements for the proper and effective functioning of the specialised anti-corruption body,” a Commission spokesperson commented.
The Commission will respond to the letter from Renew Europe in due course. The institution recalled that on 18 July the Council approved the amendments to Bulgaria’s RRP, and the country subsequently submitted a request for its second payment.
“Since 23 July we have been in the process of assessing this request for a second payment. I can confirm that one of the milestones and targets within it is precisely linked to the establishment of a politically and financially independent anti-corruption body in the country,” the Commission spokesperson added.
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