Tomislav Donchev, the Mayor of Gabrovo, is the new EU Funds Minister. He outlined three top priorities in his job to monitor the use of more than EUR 11 B in EU aid assigned for Bulgaria by 2013. The new Minister finds communication with Brussels very important as well as coordination and call on the beneficiaries – municipalities, NGOs and the business – to be active. Bulgarians have pinned lots of hopes on the minister, who is expected to control the proper use of European Union subsidies, prevent fraud and clean up its record with the EU. The European Commission froze in 2008 a total of EUR 825 M in pre-accession aid to Bulgaria and subsequently axed EUR 220 M over corruption concerns. Bulgaria's new center-right government, which swept the elections in July, has made attempts to shake off the country's reputation for corruption and crime. Three ministers from the previous government have been charged with abuse of power and graft and are expected to appear in court soon.