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EPPO opens investigation into €4.5 million fraud of EU funds in Vratsa

published on 2/11/25 2:08 PM

Photo: Joro Aleksandrov

The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) in Sofia has filed an indictment with the Sofia District Court against the manager and owner of a company suspected of fraud in a public procurement procedure to the tune of €4.5 million (BGN 8 838 308). The amount was earmarked for the purchase of 9 electric trolley buses to be used for public transport in the municipality of Vratsa.

During the public tender procedure, the defendant stated that the trolleybuses would come from a Polish company, but the vehicles were purchased from a state-owned company in Belarus, which was later placed under EU sanctions for supporting Russia's war in Ukraine.

The Polish company is said to have gone into liquidation shortly after the procurement was completed. The investigation found that the trolleybuses were sold at almost double the original purchase price paid by the contractor.

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Radio Bulgaria News eppo fraud trolley buses vratsa