Topical Information

Source: Ministry of Labour and Social Policy – official website and Facebook page

On 30 July, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (MLSP) held an online meeting to review the progress in the implementation of contracts financed under Bulgaria’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) related to investments in the social sector.

The meeting focused on the implementation of the following procedures:

• Construction works and the supply of equipment and furnishings for the reform of existing residential homes for older people;
• Construction and equipping of new residential social services and integrated health and social care services, as well as specialised social services for persons with disabilities;
• Installation of photovoltaic systems in existing state-delegated social services and the purchase of electric vehicles, including charging stations, for the provision of social services;
• Purchase of electric vehicles, including charging stations, for the provision of social services.

The meeting attracted significant interest, with more than 250 representatives of municipal administrations participating online. NAMRB was represented by a Senior Expert from the Municipal Programmes and Projects Unit.

Opening the meeting, Natalia Efremova, Minister of Labour and Social Policy, emphasised the importance of the investments aimed at improving care for older people and reforming the 80 state-funded residential homes for older persons. She also noted that contracts have already been signed for the establishment of 199 new alternative residential and community-based support services for persons with disabilities.

As a result of the investments under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, living conditions are expected to improve for more than 5,500 older people and nearly 3,000 persons with disabilities.

“Implementation must proceed at a much faster pace. Municipalities should require construction companies to accelerate their work so that all activities can be completed within the established deadlines,” Minister Efremova stressed.

The Minister also reminded beneficiary municipalities that the final deadline for reporting the implementation of NRRP contracts to the European Commission is 31 August.