Over the first six months of 2006, Bulgarian agriculture companies received 452 million leva from the SAPARD programme, which is less than half of the money to be granted this year according to plan.

The 555 million leva, which remain to be allocated, exceed the amount of funds granted for the period from 2000 to 2005, 24 Chassa said.

Since the start of the SAPARD programme in Bulgaria in 2000, the fund management and distribution have been the subject of speculation and corruption accusations, 24 Chassa said. Former agriculture minister Ventsislav Vurbanov was among the many accused of concluding illegal deals in the agriculture and food processing spheres.

The most recent evidence of corruption in the agriculture industry appeared when the deputy executive director of the National Agriculture Fund Krassimir Nedelchev was dismissed from his position on accusations he had received a bribe of 357 000 leva.

Agriculture Minister Nihat Kabil said that his ministry would take some decisive measures to solve the problem in view of the EU accession and the increased amount of funds Bulgaria would receive in 2007. According to preliminary plans, the country will be granted 1.5 billion euro.