Since the accession of Republic of Bulgaria to the European Union in 2007, the European Structural and Investment Funds have become one of the main sources of funding for both the State and municipalities, as well as small, medium and large enterprises. The management of these funds, of course, is linked to a serious control by the managing authorities of the various operational programs. This control often leads to serious problems and sanctions for the beneficiaries of the different operational programs. However, this control is not always lawful. Before joining the Sofia Bar Association, for a year and a half I’ve been a civil servant at the State Fund Agriculture. During this period, I was able to get an in-depth understanding of the functionality of the operational programs and their various schemes and measures, in particular the “Rural Development Program”, the funds for which are allocated and controlled by the State Fund Agriculture.

Among the services I offer to my clients in the field of Agriculture the other areas, funded by European Structural and Investment Funds are legal protection, legal assistance and litigation before all judical and administrative instances in cases relating to:

Unlawful acts and actions of the State Fund Agriculture bodies against projects of farmers funded by all schemes and measures under the Rural Development Program (RDP) in relation to:

• Farmer’s applications for direct area payments
• Applying projects of farmers and municipalities for funding and their implementation and performing
• Financial corrections imposed on projects by farmers and municipalities

Unlawful acts and actions of other managing authorities against beneficiaries in connection with application, implementation and financial corrections imposed on their projects, financed by the European Structural and Investment Funds, provided under:

• Operational Programme Innovations and Competitiveness
• Operational Programme under the SME Initiative
• Operational Programme Environment
• Operational Programme Regions in Growth
• Operational Programme on Transport and Transport Infrastructure
• Human Resources Development Operational Programme
• Operational Programme Good Governance
• Operational Programme Science And Education For Smart Growth
• Operational Programme Maritime and Fisheries
• Others