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The EU prosecutor starts investigations into the abuse of European funds in Bulgaria, the first official in handcuffs

2023-08-12 13:44:10Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
The EU prosecutor starts investigations into the abuse of European funds in
Laura Kovesi, EU prosecutor

Suspicions about the abuse of its funds have prompted the EU to officially launch an investigation against Bulgaria. Laura Kovesi, formerly the chief prosecutor in Romania, is today the head of the largest prosecution institution in the EU.

The European Public Prosecutor's Office, which she heads, ordered searches of 28 homes and offices as part of an investigation into the misuse of EU money for rail-related projects. Following this action, the mayor of a small town was arrested, reports Politico .

Such action has been expected for years, as leading politicians from Bulgaria's reformist camp insist that the abuse of EU funds has become one of the main sources of income for organized crime groups. The Center for the Study of Democracy, a non-governmental organization in Sofia, concluded in 2020 that up to 15 percent of the money granted by the EU was regularly wasted.

The European Prosecutor's Office is currently conducting 143 investigations in Bulgaria. The total damage is estimated to be 492 million euros, according to its 2022 report.

The poorest country in the EU, Bulgaria regularly seeks support from European taxpayers to help build its infrastructure and make old socialist-era buildings more energy efficient. Regarding the latter, the mayor of the city, General Toshevo, ended up in handcuffs during the action. The data submitted by him for the implementation of the energy efficiency project in the municipal buildings turned out to be false. He was released on bail after paying a bond of 5,000 euros.

The office headed by Laura Kovesi is responsible for the prosecution of crimes against the financial interests of the EU is investigating two projects for the improvement of railway infrastructure, worth more than 241 million euros in EU funding and a grant for the improvement of energy efficiency of housing. building in the city of General Toshev, worth €169,000.

The form allegedly used to abuse European taxpayers' money is a well-known practice. In the case of railways, under investigation is the National Railway Infrastructure Company, which entrusted construction contracts to two private companies.

The contractors allegedly made fictitious transfers to the accounts of several ghost companies, which enabled people with criminal records to withdraw more than 2.5 million euros.

Bulgaria has been frequently criticized in recent years by the European Union for its high level of corruption and its inability to fight it.


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