Private broadcaster bTV said on May 26 that Deputy minister of regional development and public works Dimcho Mihalevski had confirmed that his resignation from the position manager of the European Union's pre-accession aid Phare programme came at the request of the European Commission (EC).

As reported by The Sofia Echo, the EC had requested the resignation of Mihalevski, along with state treasurer Gergana Beremska on April 1 2008, because of bad management of the funds and problems with control over their spending.

The EC temporarily froze funding under the Sapard, Ispa and Phare programmes.

According to Mihalevski, the EU would un-freeze the funding next month, bTV said. Should that not be the case, Mihalevski said that he expected changes in the government.

A spokesperson of the Regional Development and Public Works Ministry told The Sofia Echo on May 26 that the EC could not also request Mihalevski’s resignation as deputy minister as his position was assigned by local government.