site.btaEPPO Files Indictment against Manager of Bulgarian Company for Attempted Fraud involving EUR 1.92 Mln Development Project in Africa

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) said in a press release Tuesday that it has filed an indictment in the Sofia District Court against the manager of a Bulgarian company for attempted fraud involving a EUR 1.92 million EU-funded project. The defendant is accused of submitting false information in order to receive funds under the European Development Fund (EDP), aimed at supporting entrepreneurs in developing countries in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific countries as well as overseas countries and territories.

The case was reported to the EPPO by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), the press release reads. The facts date back to 2021, when the Ministry of Planning, Statistics and Regional Integration of the Republic of Congo launched a call for tenders to purchase equipment destined to support and train entrepreneurs in the corn, agrifood, timber and processing sectors, with the financial support of the Delegation of the European Union to the country. The successful company would provide tractors, ploughshares, seed drills, watering devices, composting systems, egg incubators, corn dehusking machines, and other utensils listed in the call. According to the requirements of the public tender, the equipment had to originate from a Member State or a territory authorised by the programme. 

In order to comply with the project’s demands, the defendant submitted a tender declaring that most of the equipment originated from Bulgaria. However, according to the investigation, this was not true. An inspection showed that some of the items originated from China, and in some cases the manufacturers did not exist. The offer of the Bulgarian company was rejected after the irregularities were detected. 

If found guilty, the defendant may face between one and six years in prison and a fine between EUR 1,000 and EUR 5,000 (BGN 2,000 and 10,000), the EPPO in Sofia said.

All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in the competent Bulgarian courts.

The EPPO is the independent public prosecution office of the European Union, responsible for investigating, prosecuting, and bringing to judgment crimes against the EU’s financial interests.