Blacklist of rogue contractors still blank

The blacklist of companies that will be barred as contractors under EU-backed projects is still empty.

It will feature only companies with a history of relevant offences ascertained after judicial review, said Meglena Plugchieva, the deputy prime minister in charge of EU funding control and co-ordination.

Sofia will therefore be unable to draw up the blacklist of companies that should be flagged by June 16 since no court rulings have been handed down yet on local abuse of EU funding.

In his recent letter, Michael Leigh, director general at the enlargement directorate of the European Commission, wrote that the National Authorising Officer (deputy minister Dimitar Ivanovski) should make sure that all contractors involved in funding irregularities are excluded from ongoing and future contracts.

Ivanovski was further instructed to provide a list of contractors that should be flagged under EU's early warning system.