Brussels: European anti-craft office urges Bulgaria to launch criminal inquiry

Brussels, Feb 1 (AFP/APP): The European anti-graft office urged Bulgaria on Monday to launch a criminal inquiry into alleged fraud in the purchase of and to repay six million euros.

In a statement, the OLAF agency said Bulgaria’s interior ministry had been given EU money to buy 350 cross-country vehicles but had instead bought second-hand SUVs.

“OLAF also concluded that there were grounds to believe that a criminal act (abuse of power under the Bulgarian Penal Code) … could have been committed by officials of the Ministry,” it said.

OLAF has powers of investigation, but it is for the European Union and national governments to decide whether to follow up.

OLAF director-general Ville Itala said: “Manipulated tenders allowing potential fraudsters to line their own pockets at the expense of citizens is a typical fraud pattern. “It is all the more worrying when such a vital public service as the police could have been the victim of this sort of activity.”

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