The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) investigates three new cases of fraud with SAPARD funds, allegedly committed in Bulgaria.
The previously uncovered 7.5 million euro SAPARD fund drainage is not the only fraud committed in Bulgaria, OLAF spokesman Alesandro Butiche said as quoted by mediapool.bg.
The fraud scheme for 7.5 million euro was uncovered on February 13, 2007. It involved seven Bulgarians, two Germans and two Swiss citizens, who were charged with participation in a criminal group and document and money fraud commitment.
Suspects forged documents for the purchase of new and expensive machines and afterwards presented the false documents to Bulgarian SAPARD-related organisations.
Since 2003, OLAF works on 33 cases of fraud concerning the SAPARD programme, six of which are connected to Bulgaria.
Butiche said that such kind of schemes are common and Bulgaria in particular, as a new EU member is more exposed to such actions.
In the end of 2005, OLAF investigated 452 cases of fraud involving European funds, of which 233 were solved. As many as 15 cases of all investigations which were launched in 2005, were connected to Bulgaria and 61 were connected to Romania.
The previously uncovered 7.5 million euro SAPARD fund drainage is not the only fraud committed in Bulgaria, OLAF spokesman Alesandro Butiche said as quoted by mediapool.bg.
The fraud scheme for 7.5 million euro was uncovered on February 13, 2007. It involved seven Bulgarians, two Germans and two Swiss citizens, who were charged with participation in a criminal group and document and money fraud commitment.
Suspects forged documents for the purchase of new and expensive machines and afterwards presented the false documents to Bulgarian SAPARD-related organisations.
Since 2003, OLAF works on 33 cases of fraud concerning the SAPARD programme, six of which are connected to Bulgaria.
Butiche said that such kind of schemes are common and Bulgaria in particular, as a new EU member is more exposed to such actions.
In the end of 2005, OLAF investigated 452 cases of fraud involving European funds, of which 233 were solved. As many as 15 cases of all investigations which were launched in 2005, were connected to Bulgaria and 61 were connected to Romania.
