site.btaConstruction Equipment Worth 6 Mln Euro Seized in European Public Prosecutor's Office Investigation in Bulgaria

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is investigating nine Bulgarian companies that are suspected of committing fraud to obtain EU funds, the EPPO said in a press release on Friday.

The managers, owners and representatives of companies that had applied for and received EU funds under Operational Programme Innovations and Competitiveness are under investigation. They are suspected of participating in an organized criminal group and of presenting false documents and statements in order to illegally obtain these funds, according to the press release.

At the request of the handling European Delegated Prosecutor and with the authorization of Bulgaria’s Specialized Criminal Court, on March 25 the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime conducted 25 searches of houses, offices, warehouses and vehicles owned by these companies in Sofia and other cities in the regions of Sofia, Pernik and Montana. A large amount of documents and hardware was seized during the searches, as well as dumpers, excavators, front loaders and other construction equipment that was bought with the 6 million euro received under the Operational Programme. Ten suspects were questioned, the EPPO reported.

The investigation is still ongoing.