The local administrations will directly benefit from the grants by Environment operational programme. The changes are for Waters and Waste sectors, 1 and 2 priority axes.

The local authorities will be directly invited to participate in the programme depending on their project readiness. This approach will guarantee year-round application procedures.

The new positions have been passed by the monitoring committee on its session on 27 Nov. The goal is better financial management by the directives for waste water treatment and solid waste disposal.

The problems are especially important as far as the waste disposal system is concerned - by mid-2009 Bulgaria was expected to have 55 regional landfills meeting the European directives. Construction of 23 of them has not started yet even now.

In the water sector priority will be on projects for urban water treatment stations in settlements of over 10,000 inhabitants. According to the accession treaty Bulgaria is bound to have such facilities by the year end.