Budgets Committee approves €16.3 million in disaster aid for Bulgaria and Greece - Hoofdinhoud

Bulgaria and Greece should get €16.3 million in EU aid to help repair damage done to public and private infrastructure by exceptionally severe weather conditions early in 2015, said the Budgets Committee on Monday. This European Solidarity Fund aid still needs to be approved by Parliament as a whole in October.

The European Solidarity Fund will refund part of the costs that the two countries incurred to repair damage after severe winter weather conditions hit southeast Bulgaria and central, eastern and western Greece in January and February 2015.

In Greece, floods destroyed public buildings, private homes, businesses, agriculture and cultural heritage sites in the central and Evros regions, while in south-eastern Bulgaria, heavy rain and subsequent floods and landslides damaged dykes, communication networks and roads as well as public and private buildings.

Bulgaria would receive EU aid worth €6.3 million, and the two Greek regions a total of €9.9 million.

Next steps

The proposed aid will be put to a vote by Parliament as a whole at its first October session. The Council of Ministers agreed to the transfer earlier on Monday.

In the chair: Jean Arthuis (ALDE, FR)

REF. : 20150914IPR93025