site.btaGovernment Adopts National Strategy for Prevention and Fight against Fraud Affecting the Financial Interests of the EU

Government Adopts National Strategy for
Prevention and Fight against Fraud Affecting the
Financial Interests of the EU


Sofia, December 17 (BTA) - The Government adopted a National
Strategy for Prevention and Fight against Irregularities and
Fraud Aaffecting the Financial Interests of the EU, the
Cabinet's press office said Wednesday. The document will be
applicable until 2020 by which time Bulgaria is expected to have
secured a high level of security of the financial interests of
the EU while observing the principles of transparency,
preventing irregularities and fraud, and effectively
investigating them.

To identify the areas where problems await solutions through the
strategy, its authors have analyzed the irregularities which
Bulgaria has encountered and reported in the past programming
period.

In the 2007-2013 period, Bulgaria has reported 1,190
irregularities in respect of the structural funds and the
Cohesion Fund. In respect of 376 of them administrative or
judicial action is currently being taken; such action has been
completed for 814 irregularities , including 71 where the case
has been closed for established absence of irregularities.

The majority of irregularities (62 per cent) have to do with
violations of the public procurement procedures and
inadmissible, unlawful and unjustified expenses (21 per cent).

In the field of agricultural funds in the past programming
period, Bulgaria reported 7,414 irregularities of which 80 per
cent involved unlawfully claimed amounts or failure to pay back
unlawfully claimed amounts due to administrative error and 13
per cent were attempted documentary fraud. In the latter cases,
the prosecuting magistracy has been alerted.

Among the challenges in the area of preventing irregularities
and fraud, the strategy lists the frequent revisions of the
legislation and inadequate administrative capacity.
The first strategic goal of the strategy is enhancing prevention
by improving the quality of legislation, increasing the
administrative capacity, transparency and public access to
information, building integrated data base and systems for
information exchange and reporting.

The second strategic goal is increasing the efficiency of
solving and countering irregularities and fraud. This will be
achieved by strengthening cooperation and interaction among the
revenue authorities, stepping up internal control and
interaction among the state bodies, the private sector, NGOs and
the civil society. Results will be reported electronically.

The third strategic goal is to enhance cooperation with OLAF and
the other competent bodies of the EU, the member states and
other counties.
The fourth goal is improving the efficiency of investigations
and sanctions. The national rules for imposition of sanctions
will be improved; the fund reclaim procedures will be cut short;
and the efficiency of administrative and criminal procedures
will be improved.

The government also approved Wednesday a report on the 2013
performance of a council coordinating the combat against
offences affecting the financial interests of the EU. PK/LN/


/СН/