Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto, in a written answer on 15 June 2026, defended the European Commission's oversight of Bulgaria's Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) while acknowledging ongoing checks into potential irregularities in cultural schemes. The answer, addressed to MEPs Hristo Petrov, Nikola Minchev (both Renew) and Radan Kanev (PPE), signals the Commission's reliance on member state control systems and performance-based assessment, impacting Bulgarian authorities and RRF beneficiaries.
The question, submitted on 24 April 2026, cited media reports of irregularities in cultural project funding under Bulgaria's RRP, including multiple projects linked to the same person, inflated amounts, and decisions taken in the final days of the previous government. The Bulgarian authorities have since launched internal checks.
In his answer, Fitto clarified that the investment in question is part of Bulgaria's fourth payment request, currently under Commission assessment, so the final list of funded projects is not yet confirmed. He noted that the Commission has been informed of the ongoing checks. Fitto reiterated that member states are responsible for implementing RRF measures and must protect EU financial interests under Article 22 of the RRF Regulation. He stated that the Commission had evaluated Bulgaria's control system as adequate during RRP assessment and that a subsequent system audit supported this conclusion.
The answer contains no concrete new measures or deadlines, instead reaffirming existing procedures. It signals that the Commission will await the outcome of Bulgaria's internal checks before considering further action. The policy orientation is one of deference to national control mechanisms, with the Commission limiting its role to verifying milestone fulfilment. Institutional follow-up will depend on the payment request assessment and the results of Bulgarian investigations, which could influence future disbursements or trigger corrective measures if irregularities are confirmed.
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