On November 27 the Operational Programmes Transport and Environment were signed at an official ceremony in Brussels, Focus News Agency said.

Commissioner for Regional Policy Danuta Hübner signed the documents on behalf of the European Commission (EC), for Bulgaria they were signed by Transport and Communications Minister Petar Moutafchiev and Environment and Water Affairs Minister Djevdet Chakurov.

After signing the two programmes, Hübner announced that they represented more than 40 per cent of the budget of all 7 European operational programmes for Bulgaria. According to Hübner the realisation of the programmes would lead to overcoming a number of barriers currently hindering Bulgaria's economic growth. Hübner expressed her satisfaction with the fact that Bulgaria was investing in a sustainable development of the transport system, which was extremely important for the overall economic growth of the country, Focus News Agency reported.

As far as the environment was concerned, Hübner said that Bulgaria was an extremely beautiful country and investments in the environment would be of key importance. According to her, this was important both for the development of tourism and for the fact that investments in the environment would be lasting investments in the quality of life of people.

Danuta Hübner thanked Bulgarian Finance Minister Plamen Oresharski for the good work he and his team had done and expressed her regret that he could not attend the ceremony, Focus News Agency said.