OLAF: Romania leads European ranking of anti-fraud investigations

The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) concluded 156 investigations into the use of EU funds, in 2014, 36 of which in Romania, according to an OLAF report released on Tuesday, June 2. “In 2014, 156 OLAF investigations were concluded into the use of EU funds managed in whole or in part at national or regional level, including funds managed by candidate or other non-EU countries. (…) In response to the interest expressed by stakeholders, OLAF is for the first time presenting detailed information by country on external investigations involving Agricultural Funds, external aid, new financial instruments and Structural Funds. This gives an improved and more transparent view of the countries on which OLAF’s investigative activity has focused,” reads the report. Most of the finished investigations targeted the use of EU funds in Romania, 36, followed by Hungary (13) and Bulgaria (11). Czech Republic was fourth, with 8 investigations, and Italy came next, with 7. France and Germany had 3 investigations each while Poland only had 2. "OLAF's mission is to detect, investigate and stop fraud involving EU funds. Our work delivers concrete results. It ensures that EU taxpayers' money is used for the purpose for which it was originally intended, creating jobs and growth in Europe" said the OLAF Director-General, Giovanni Kessler. The full report is available here. Romania pays back some EU funds, has another EUR 1 bln blocked editor@romania-insider.com