Rossen Jeliazkov: The bus/coach transport companies will be supported with 30 million BGN

With 30 million BGN will be supported the bus/coach transport companies in order to cope with the COVID-19 consequences, said the Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Rossen Jeliazkov during the official signing of the Agreement on the provision of grant assistance under the measure “Assistance of MSE, that carry out bus/coach transport operations, to overcome the economic consequences from COVID-19 through the implementation of a support scheme by the Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications”. The document was signed by the Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Rossen Jeliazkov and the Minister of Economy Lachezar Borisov.

“In recent months 198 million BGN have been relocated from OP on “Transport and Transport Infrastructure” to OP “Innovation and Competitiveness” for the support for micro-, macro- and medium-sized enterprises. We held the necessary talks with the European Commission and received notification on a specific measure for the allocation of 30 million BGN for the provision of operative capital to the bus/coach transport companies. In order to speed up the implementation of this process and for the funds to reach the bus/coach transport companies as quickly as possible, the candidates will not be evaluated, but will only be considered for eligibility”, said Minister Rossen Jeliazkov. According to him, the enterprises in the sector are 1485 and not less than 1000 will benefit from the measure in the next one to two months.

The Minister clarified that the minimum amount of the allocated funds will be 3 000 BGN and the maximum is 450 000 BGN of the grant and the distribution will be based on the turnover of the companies.

"Transport is one of the most affected economic sectors in the pandemic. Our work for the implementation of the anti-crisis measures under Operational Program "Innovation and Competitiveness" continues. Very soon 175 million BGN will be available for the companies. 140 million BGN are already available through the Bulgarian Development Bank, including for companies in the “Transport” sector, said the Minister of Economy Lachezar Borisov.