The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in the Bulgarian capital filed an indictment on Monday at the Sofia City Court against an EU project consultant suspected of fraud involving a project for dental care.
The consultant was contacted by a doctor who sought to establish a dental practice in a small town in Bulgaria’s Burgas region, with the aim of improving access to healthcare services for the local population. The doctor engaged the consultant to prepare an application to obtain EU financial support for the project, including the purchase of medical equipment. The doctor also provided the consultant with contact details of a medical equipment supplier, who subsequently submitted a competitive offer.
The funding application required the submission of three offers. According to the investigation, the consultant prepared the application using one falsified offer, without the doctor’s knowledge. Unaware that false information had been included in the documentation, the doctor submitted the project proposal to the competent authorities.
The project required €97 000 (BGN 189 991.20) in funding, of which 90% was financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and 10% by national co-financing. No EU funds were disbursed, as the Bulgarian paying agency for EU agricultural funds found that one of the offers submitted in support of the application was falsified.
If found guilty, the defendant could face imprisonment for a term of one to six years and a fine of between €1 000 (BGN 2 000) and €5 000 (BGN 10 000).
All persons concerned are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in the competent Bulgarian 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.
