The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) is conducting 42 investigations concerning Bulgaria, according to Sonia Klisarska, head of the AFCOS Directorate at the Interior Ministry.

The AFCOS Directorate (Coordination of the fight against infringements affecting the financial interests of the EU) Directorate at Bulgaria's Interior Ministry is a partner of OLAF.

Klisarska made clear that the largest number of investigations were in the spheres of agriculture, structural and cohesion funds, and fishery.

She informed that AFCOS was conducting 6 administrative investigations, 5 of which based on signals and one on a request of OLAF.

Klisarska specified that the request of the EU's anti-fraud body involved a project of the Burgas Municipality under the Administrative Capacity Operational Program.

The head of the AFCOS Directorate explained that OLAF had filed 51 requests for cooperation to Bulgaria, while Bulgaria had requested cooperation from OLAF on 4 occasions.

She added that the most frequent violations involved public procurement.

Klisarska announced that 18% of the cases in the period 2007 – 2011 had reached pre-trial proceedings.

OLAF Spokesperson Johan Wullt reminded that Bulgaria had registered the largest number of investigations for 2011, a total of 78, adding that this was partly due to the numerous signals sent to OLAF concerning Bulgaria.

In the period 2007 – 2011, 31 irregularities worth EUR 4.6 M were reported as fraud in the sphere of structural funds.

Johan Wullt clarified that the Scandinavian countries had the clearest record with the smallest number of investigations.

The OLAF Spokesperson added that the average length of an investigation was 29 months.

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