site.btaPublic Financial Inspection Agency's 2023 Report Adopted

Bulgaria's caretaker Cabinet on Wednesday evening adopted the 2023 activity report of the Public Financial Inspection Agency (PFIA), the Government Information Service said.

In 2023, the PFIA inspectors completed 454 financial inspections and checks into the spending of public funds. The Agency received 519 alerts and requests for the conduct of financial inspections, of which 481 were within the PFIA competence and 38 were forwarded to the competent State bodies.

A total of BGN 3,851,959 in mistargeted spending were identified, and BGN 2,543,929 of these funds were recovered while the financial inspections were in progress. Fifty-three indications of fraud were detected in 27 financial inspections and checks. In 29 financial inspections, beneficiaries under EU funds and programmes were found to have misspent financial resources provided under 35 financing contracts. 

The 303 inspections on public procurement awards and implementation accounted for 67% of all financial inspections conducted last year. The inspectors checked 1,407 public procurements involving spending of nearly BGN 4.8 billion. Irregularities were detected in 592 procurements or 42% of the total checked. The BGN 418,323 in culpably inflicted detriment identified by the financial inspections was by BGN 3,276,305 or 87% less than in 2022. The BGN 201,724 or 48% of the detriment detected in 2023 has been recovered. Financial losses amounting to BGN 131,703 were recovered while the financial inspections were in progress.