Thanks to its intensive efforts and the trust of the European Commission, the government has ensured that the renovation of multi-family residential buildings under the Recovery and Resilience Plan will be entirely free for citizens, while the funds previously planned for co-financing under Phase 2 will remain with households. Some families will save up to BGN 12,000, said Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Dora Yankova during the TV programme “Face to Face” on bTV.

She noted that Bulgaria has committed to renovating 60% of the residential building stock by 2050, so that buildings become more energy efficient and people can live in improved conditions.

“We need to develop a national energy efficiency plan that includes a financial mix of national and European funds, financial instruments and other mechanisms, in order to ensure a stable and long-term policy for Bulgarian citizens. There will also be measures for rural areas and for people living alone, enabling them to replace windows, renovate the rooms they actually use, and install heat pumps to reduce heating costs. This is a policy and a form of care for citizens by a state that places people at the centre,” Yankova said.

She pointed out that around 2,000 residential blocks have already been renovated under the National Energy Efficiency Programme. An additional 1,038 buildings are expected to be renovated under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, with a budget of BGN 1.134 billion. Another 129 multi-family residential buildings in coal regions – Pernik, Kyustendil and Stara Zagora – will be renovated using nearly BGN 200 million in grants from the Just Transition Fund under the Regional Development Programme 2021–2027.

“Within the campaign under the Recovery and Resilience Plan alone, 3,006 buildings across the country have submitted applications for renovation, which clearly shows the strong interest and motivation among citizens,” Yankova added.

She also announced that a second phase of the National Energy Efficiency Programme is expected to start by the end of the year. Under this programme, BGN 2.5 billion from the state budget will be allocated by 2029, again allowing citizens to renovate their homes free of charge.

At the same time, preparations are underway for a new programme financed through the Social Climate Fund, which aims to support the energy renovation of buildings with a total gross floor area of approximately 1.6 billion square metres. Buildings where 75% of residents are classified as energy-poor will receive full grant financing. The criteria for identifying energy-poor households are currently being developed and will include household income per family member, heating expenses, and building type.

Deputy Minister Yankova also stressed that homeowners’ associations should act as guarantors of the quality of renovation works carried out on buildings, while construction supervision and control mechanisms must remain strict, as they are legally responsible for ensuring quality.

She further announced that the deadline for completing renovation works under the Recovery and Resilience Plan will be extended.

“Thanks to our intensive efforts, we managed to save a high-risk operation. There was a real danger of losing the funding because nothing had been done for a year. Contracts with municipalities and homeowners’ associations only began to be signed at the end of 2024, and no public procurement procedures had been launched. Considerable effort was needed to secure these funds. The government made significant efforts, the European Commission showed understanding, and municipalities also contributed. As a result, we now have a preserved and free renovation programme, which we will implement together with the Bulgarian Development Bank under equal rules and criteria,” Yankova added.

Source: Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works (MRDPW)