Bulgaria and the European Commission (EC) completed negotiations of two EU operative programmes, Development of Human Resources and Administrative Capacity.

Bulgaria could absorb up to 1.4 billion euro under the two programmes between 2007 and 2013, Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) reported.

State Administration Ministry would co-ordinate the Administrative Capacity programme. The total funding of the programme is nearly 181 million euro.

The aim of the programme is to create effective and competent state administration, capable of developing and introducing national and European policies, while meeting public expectations for quality and ethical services, BNR said.

Labour and Social Policy Ministry will co-ordinate the Development of Human Resources programme, which includes the pre-qualification of workers and the unemployed, as well as the education and integration of minorities.

Lenia Samuel, deputy director general of EC’s Directorate General Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, said that Bulgarian institutions have to do their best to complete the two programmes.

Bulgaria’s Deputy Finance Minister Lyubomir Datsov said that he expected negotiations of several other operative programmes, among which Transport, Regional Development and Environment, to be completed soon too.