09.02.2012

"The state is ready to meet the problems and to cover the expenses relevant to the difficult winter situation. Thanks to the better financial results last year at this point of time we do not need aid from the EU", Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Simeon Djankov said in the studio of "Denyat Zapochva" of BNT. Teams of the Ministry of Finance and State Fund Agriculture are in the regions concerned and are calculating the damages in order to start paying the aid as soon as possible, the Minister added.

In his interview for the national television Minister Djankov commented also the results of the three-day visit of the headed by him delegation. The main issues discussed during the visit were energy cooperation, visa facilitation for Russian citizens and granting licenses to Bulgarian transport companies. Minister Djankov told about the discussions held with Minister Shmatko in the field of joint energy projects. The NPP Belene Project was being analyzed at expert level and the negotiations continued the Minister summarized and added that South Flow was a perspective project and it was in Bulgaria' interest to participate in it.

The Ministry of Finance is preparing legislative changes about the interest rates on bank credits along several lines, revealed Minister Djankov. In the first place, the intention is to introduce the basic interest rate EURIBOR in order to have the possibility to compare the interest policies of the banks. The next change presumes large part of the fees that banks charge borrowers with to be shared between the bank and the borrower. The changes envisaged will pertain to all lending, below BGN 400 included, because the latter is not clearly regulated in respect of consumer protection at the moment, the Minister further clarified.

To a question about the management of the so called Silver Fund Simeon Djankov explained that legislative changes were envisaged relevant to the possibility to invest the funds in Bulgarian Government Securities in order to get better yield.