Director of the Directorate

Detelina Karaeneva

Contact details:
102 “G. S. Rakovski” Str.
1040 Sofia, Bulgaria
telephone: (+359) 2/9859 2782, 2790

e-mail:

The National Fund Directorate at the Ministry of Finance was established on 11.02.1999 by virtue of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of National Fund between the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria and the European Commission, ratified by the 38th National Assembly. The Memorandum was signed in accordance with the National Strategy for Accession to the European Union.

The main responsibility of the National Fund Directorate is to build and maintain an effective and stable system for sound financial management and absorption of the European Union’s funds, programmes, mechanisms and instruments.

Directorate's main tasks are:

1. Performs the functions of a Certifying Authority (CA), responsible for receiving funds from the European Commission and the preparation of the Annual Accounts for the operational programmes (OP), co-financed by the ERDF, the ESF, the CF, the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI), FEAD and CBC programmes on the EU external borders during the 2014–2020 programming period;
2. Performs the Accounting Body functions in preparation and submission of payment applications and Annual Accounts during the 2021 -2027 programming period under the programs co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund+, the Cohesion Fund, the Just Transition Fund and CBC programmes on the EU external borders and for making payments to the MA’s under the programmes co-financed by; ERDF, ESF+, CF, JTF and the CBC programmes on the EU external borders;
3. Performs the functions of a Coordination Body at national level, responsible for the preparation of the secondary legislation and the management control system, monitoring, control and payments in relation to the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility, preparation and sending of the package of documents with a request for payment to the European Commission, as well as planning, budgeting and financial and accounting reporting of the funds under the Recovery and Resilience Facility and payments (limits) to the structures for monitoring and reporting/final recipients;
4. Performs the functions of a Body responsible for receiving funds from ERDF, ESF, ESF+, CF, YEI, JTF, FEAD, CBC programmes on the EU external borders and the RRM;
5. Prepares and implements procedures and measures to prevent, detect and correct fraud, corruption and conflicts of interest in the implementation of the RRF to guarantee the financial interests of the EU;
6. Performs the functions of a Certification Authority of the EEA and NFM programmes;
7. Performs the functions of a Body responsible for receiving funds under the Adjustment Reserve in relation to the consequences of Brexit;
8. Performs activities related to financial reporting under the PHARE programme, the Transitional Financial Instrument, the Cohesion Fund (Regulation 1164/94) and SAPARD programme;
9. Performs the functions of a Paying Authority, responsible for the funds under the Swiss- Bulgarian Cooperation Programme 2019-2029;
10. Performs functions related to the annual budget procedure and the mid-term budget forecast in relation to the funds under the programs co-financed by the ERDF, ESF, ESF+, CF, YEI, JTF, FEAD, CBC programmes on the EU external borders, the RRF of the Republic of Bulgaria, financed under the RRF and other programs within the responsibilities of the Directorate;
11. Prepares payment forecasts and financial data for the operational programs co-financed by ERDF, ESF, CF, YEI, FEAD, CBC programmes on the EU external borders during the 2014 - 2020 programming period an other donors, as well as a forecast for payments under the programs, co-financed by the ERDF, ESF+, CF, JTF and CBC programmes on the EU external borders during the 2021 - 2027 programming period, the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area and the Norwegian Financial Mechanism, as well as their updating;
12. Organizes the accounting in relation to all accounting activities within the functions of the Directorate under the programmes financed by the European Union and other donors and prepares financial and accounting information for the budget and on cash and on accrual basis, as well as an annual financial report of the account for the funds from the European Union of the National Fund Directorate;
13. Ensures the banking service of the funds from the EU and other donors and maintains the structure of the bank accounts in accordance with the regulatory requirements;
14. Supports the Minister of Finance in implementing the national policy on the implementation of EU financial instruments.

The „National Fund“ Directorate consists of 4 (four) departments:

The EU Programmes and Other Donor Programmes Department is responsible for the certification of expenditure and the preparation of the annual accounts of the programmes, co-financed by the ERDF, ESF, CF, YEI, FEAD and under the CBC programmes on the EU external borders during the 2014-2020 programming period. The department performs the Accounting Body functions, that include the preparation and submission of payment applications and the Annual Accounts during the 2021-2027 programming period. It also performs the functions of a Certification Authority under the EEA and the NFM and the Paying Authority under the Swiss-Bulgarian Cooperation Program. The department participates in the Monitoring Committees meetings of the programmes and in working or expert groups related to the financial management and implementation of the programs.

The Recovery and Resilience Plan Department is responsible for the functions of a Coordination Body at national level regarding the Recovery and Resilience Facility and the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plan according to the functions delegated in the management and control system. The Recovery and Resilience Department prepares the update of the management and control system of the Plan, in relation to protection of the financial interests of the EU by measures for prevention, detection and correction of cases of conflict of interest, corruption, fraud and double financing, recovery of illegally received funds from the final recipients. Performs activities for regular monitoring of financial and technical reports on the progress of the investments, incl. monitoring on the progress of the key milestones and targets and review of the documents on the milestones and targets implementation according to the operational agreements and the control system. Participates in activities of providing financial resources for the investments. Communicates, coordinates and prepares the information, part of the package of documents with a request for payment to the EC. Provides methodical support to final recipients and structures for monitoring and reporting on the implementation of the national control system.

The Legal Compliance Department is responsible for the preparation and coordination of normative and non-normative drafts of legal acts related to the functions of the Directorate and guarantees the financial interests of the EU through activities on the administration of signals of serious irregularities under the Recovery and Resilience Plan and their reporting at the national level, as well as ensuring the communication process between the units. Performs ex-ante and ex-post control of documents and procedures of public contracts financed under the Public Procurement Act. The department supports the certification process, respectively the accounting function for the programmes financed by the EU and the programs for cross-border cooperation at the external borders of the EU in relation to the principles of legality and regularity of expenditures declared to the EC under the different programs;

Financial and Accounting Activities Department performs the accounting functions of the activities of the Directorate as the Authority responsible for receiving funds from the ERDF, ESF, ESF+, CF, YEI, JTF, FEAD and the CBC programmes, as well as the Certifying Authority during the 2014-2020 programming period and of an Accounting Authority during the 2021-2027 programming period, as well as the functions related to the annual budget procedure and the mid-term budget forecast in relation to the operational programmes co-financed by the ERDF, ESF, ESF+, CF, JTF, YEI, FEAD, the CBC programmes, the Recovery and Resilience Facility and other programs for which the Directorate is responsible. Performs the functions of a Body responsible for receiving funds under the Adjustment Reserve of Brexit. Organizes and maintains the accounting system of the National Fund Directorate, prepares consolidated reports under the Unified Budget Classification and consolidated trial balances according to the national accounting legislation, as well as the annual financial report of the EU funds account of the National fund. Ensures the banking service of the EU funds and other donor programs and maintains the structure of the bank accounts of the EU funds account.