European funds allocated to the Republic of Moldova will be carefully monitored by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) to prevent any attempts at fraud or corruption. This was stated today, 2 September, by the Chief Prosecutor of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, Laura Codruta Kovesi, who arrived on a visit to Chisinau.
According to her, with a significant increase in these resources, the risk of fraud increases, which requires closer cooperation between European supervisory authorities and the authorities in Chisinau. The head of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office warned of the danger posed by organised groups that could try to siphon off these sums, stressing that such scams could have serious security implications.
“VAT fraud, for example, is estimated at around 50 billion euros in the European Union. If these sums end up in the hands of organised groups, our security could be seriously affected.” – said Kovesi.
The official called on the authorities of the Republic of Moldova to remain vigilant and continue the fight against corruption, warning that resources will be controlled with the same rigor as in EU member states.
“We will ensure careful monitoring in all member states, as well as in countries benefiting from these resources, including Moldova.” – concluded Laura Codruca Kovesi.
Let us recall that the fight against corruption remains an unresolved problem in Moldova, to which attention has been repeatedly drawn in Brussels, in the context of the start of negotiations on European integration. The local opposition has repeatedly accused the authorities of plundering the multi-billion-euro European aid that Chisinau is asking for from its partners.
A recent report by the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) submitted to the Council of Europe concluded that the level of implementation of the recommendations received by Chisinau remains “overall unsatisfactory.” Much the same is stated in the annual report of the US State Department. It noted that “corruption in Moldova is still widespread and the implementation of the recommendations leaves much to be desired.”
