EC Allocates EUR 6.3 Mln from EU Solidarity Fund to Bulgaria in Wake of Natural Disasters

Brussels, July 23 (BTA correspondent Nikolay Jeliazkov) - The
European Commission on Thursday decided to grant aid worth 6.3
million euro from the EU Solidarity Fund to Bulgaria following
natural disasters that occurred in the winter of 2015.
Considerable damage was caused in Bulgaria due to severe winter
conditions.

Greece, which suffered from wide-spread flooding affecting five
of its regions, receives 9.9 million euro.

The aid will cover part of the emergency costs of recovery
operations following the disasters in both countries. In
particular, it will help restore vital infrastructure and
services, reimburse the cost of emergency and rescue operations
and cover some of the clean-up costs in the affected regions.

Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Cretu said: "The EU
Solidarity Fund is one of our strongest symbols of solidarity in
 times of need. Today we are bringing financial support to the
regions of Greece and Bulgaria affected by the disasters of this
 winter, which caused considerable damage. Now we can start
rebuilding, together."

At the end of January 2015, parts of Bulgaria suffered from
heavy rainfall, snow, floods and landslides. As a result,
considerable damage was caused to public infrastructure,
businesses, private homes and assets, and the agricultural
sector was harmed. The South-East region of Bulgaria was the
hardest hit by the events. In the city of Bourgas alone, over
300 buildings were flooded. Landslides destroyed important
infrastructure; dykes broke, many rivers burst their banks and
flooded agricultural land and forests. Gusty winds destroyed
pine forests, caused power failures that disrupted the
communication networks, and roads were blocked by fallen trees,
the Commission said.