The European Public Prosecutor’s Office has charged the mayor from Slovakia for EU subsidy fraud

Luxembourg/Bratislava – The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Bratislava has filed an indictment at the Specialized Criminal Court against an unnamed Slovak mayor as part of an investigation related to EU subsidy fraud in the construction of a cycling path in the Trnava region in western Slovakia. TASR reports this based on Monday’s statement from the EPPO.

The suspect applied in October 2018 for a non-repayable financial contribution of €757,828 for the construction of a cycling path, which is financed from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), covering 85 percent of the costs.

Evidence obtained indicates that he submitted payment requests in February and May 2021 for the purchase and use of construction materials. Allegedly, he partially used false documents that declared the purchase of more expensive construction materials than the gravel that had previously been extracted from a nearby pond as part of its revitalization funded by the European Union.

The suspect’s actions caused a potential damage of €94,842 – €84,859 from the ERDF and the remaining €9,983 from national funds. During an on-site inspection, the EPPO found discrepancies between some of the requested and actually used construction materials. Therefore, the requested payment was not made.

If found guilty, the accused faces a prison sentence of up to six years. In addition, he may be fined three million euros. (April 28)