EU Parliament to Inspect Spending of EU Funds in Bulgaria

Monica Holheimer (EPP), chairwoman of the European Parliament's Committee on Budgetary Control (EPP), suggested on Monday that MEPs travel to Bulgaria for an on-the-spot check on the spending of European budget funds.

She made the proposal at a meeting of the parliamentary committee, which discussed the US sanctions against Bulgarian citizens under the Magnitsky act.

Holheimer explained that MEPs would like to make sure that European funds are used properly and that legislative changes are needed to avoid abuses.

"We have been worried for some time that there may be fraud with EU funds and interference from foreign countries such as Russia and Turkey", she added, quoted by BTA.

Speaking to representatives of parliamentary groups, the EPP said that no matter who is in power, suspicions of abuse should be investigated. According to this parliamentary group, Bulgarian organized crime often focuses on the absorption of funds for agriculture.

The Socialists and Democrats group pointed to examples of violations in our country in recent months and called for investigations and accountability.

The Greens added that public procurement contracts in Bulgaria often are won by a narrow circle of companies without transparent competition and asked how the United States, journalists and most Bulgarians see what the European Commission (EC) does not notice.

"Identity and Democracy" pointed out that 20 percent of the cases investigated by OLAF are in our country.

A representative of OLAF announced that last year the service recommended to the Bulgarian authorities actions in seven cases of violations for a total of 35 million euros from the EU. In some cases, reimbursement was recommended, and in others,...