At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Katowice (Poland), officers from the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau have arrested four suspects, including a senior public official, as part of an investigation into suspected procurement fraud and corruption linked to the modernization of tram infrastructure, funded by the EU.
It is alleged that the senior public official provided confidential information to a favored company to ensure that the firm would be awarded a contract for the modernization and development of tram infrastructure in the Upper Silesian-Zagłębie Metropolis. He is also suspected of corruption.
The winning bid amounted to over €1 million (PLN 5 million). The project is financed by the European Funds Program for Infrastructure, Climate and Environment 2021–2027.
During the searches, carried out by the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau – Branch Office in Katowice (Centralne Biuro Antykorupcyjne – Delegatura w Katowicach), approximately €38 000 in cash were seized, as well as a gold bar.
One of the suspects will remain in pre-trial detention.
The investigation is ongoing to clarify the facts and assess whether any criminal offenses have occurred. All persons concerned are presumed innocent until proven guilty in the competent Polish courts of law.
The EPPO is the independent public prosecution office of the European Union. It is responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of the EU.
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