Bulgaria is likely to lose an 18 million euro injection designed to modernise its outdated facilities due to "mismanagement" of its ports, Yordan Gospodinov, executive director for fish products from BG Fish, has stated.

The EU issued repeated warnings that the situation regarding Bulgarian fishing ports must improve, the ports themselves have to be designated and subsequently brought up to European standards, or Bulgaria would lose investment and subsidies allocated to the sector. Focus reports that these investments are absolutely vital for fishermen who currently lack modern facilities and equipment for unloading cargo, as well as storage and distribution, and the sale of fresh products.

Three ministries are responsible for resolving the problem: the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Regional Development and the Ministry of Agriculture - and so far it would appear that all of them have failed to organise themselves and undertake any sort of concerted action whatsoever. The fishing executive agency has indicated for a long time that locations such as Sozopol, Nesebar, Varna and Balchik are the most appropriate sites for the creation of fishing zones. During the summer, Agricultural Minister Valeri Tzvetanov instigated a special meeting in Burgas with Cabinet colleagues but it would appear that nothing has yet been done to change the status of the ports and begin necessary construction.

More than a year has passed and there is still no registration of ports. This will mean that Bulgarian fishermen will continue to suffer and that European money cannot be appropriated. So the three Bulgarian ministries entrusted with resolving the matter would appear to have failed. The modernisation of harbours, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Common Fisheries Policy, will also not happen.