Bulgaria's Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime in cooperation with the Sofia Prosecutor's Office carried out an inspection Monday morning in the office of the SAPARD Executive Agency at the State Agriculture Fund.

The anti-mafia officers confiscated five files for SAPARD Program projects. Meanwhile, the prosecution has initiated an investigation against one of the beneficiaries for presenting fake documentation when applying for EU money.

According to the Deputy Sofia Prosecutor Roman Vasilev, the financial fraud probably amounted to BGN 400 000.

The prosecution requested the five files a month and a half ago but the Agriculture Fund staff has refused to turn them in.

During Monday's inspection, however, the newly appointed management of the Fund is reported to have cooperated with the police officers.

Vasilev vowed to continue investigating the activities of the new and the former management of the SAPARD Executive Agency and the State Agriculture Fund.

Last week additional BGN 183 M of EU funding under the SAPARD Program were frozen after inspections by OLAF and European Commission experts discovered violations in the SAPARD Agency in May and June.

Thus, almost BGN 270 M of EU money destined for the Bulgarian agriculture had been blocked with many Bulgarian farmers threatening to sue the state for failing to tackle the embezzlement issues, and to provide them with their EU funding.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!