The EU would grant 1.8 billion euro to Bulgaria in line with the operational programme Environment 2007-2013, a Environment and Water Affairs Ministry media statement said.

The money would be used for the construction of sewerage systems, waste management, biodiversity protection, technical aid, among others.

On November 27 the Environment and Water Affairs Minister Djevdet Chakurov and EU Commissioner for Regional Policy Danuta Hübner will sign the Environment operational programme in Brussels. The ceremony will be attended by Transport and Communications Minister Petar Moutafchiev who will sign the operational programme Transport. Other Bulgarian officials to attend will be Finance Minister Plamen Oresharski and Bulgarian members of the European Parliament.

The operational programme Environment is one of the 7 operational programmes developed under the National Strategic Reference Framework of the Republic of Bulgaria through which Bulgaria would receive money from the EU for the 2007-2013 period, Bulgarian Ministry of Finance said. The programme will be financed by two EU funds – the Cohesion Fund and the European Regional Development Fund.

The 1.8 billion euro that Bulgaria would receive amounted to 22 per cent of the money the EU structure funds would grant to Bulgaria for the 2007-2013 period, the media statement said.

Meanwhile on November 14 the Regional Development and Public Works Ministry would start the operational programme Regional Development, mediapool.bg reported.