(Luxembourg, 2 April 2025) – The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Bratislava (Slovakia) has filed an indictment against two individuals and one company for subsidy fraud and misappropriation of funds, in an investigation regarding the modernisation of fruit warehouses worth over €500 000 and co-financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).
The investigation established that between May 2018 and June 2020, the defendants implemented a project to modernise fruit warehouses in the region of Trencin. One of the defendants, acting on behalf of the beneficiary company, submitted an application for payment containing false and misleading information regarding the execution of project activities, in violation of the grant conditions. The other defendant, a public official working for the managing and paying authority, authorised the payment by signing and issuing an amendment to the grant agreement, despite the ongoing verification process and the expiration of the agreement’s validity.
As a result of these fraudulent actions, unlawful payments amounting to €32 655 from EU funds and €10 989 from the national budget were disbursed based on incorrect project documentation.
The indictment has been filed with the Specialised Criminal Court on 31 March 2025 and the financial damage was recovered during the investigation through enforcement proceedings against the beneficiary company.
If convicted, the accused individuals face prison sentences ranging from two to six years, while the legal entity could be banned from receiving public funding.
All persons concerned are presumed innocent until proven guilty in the competent Slovak 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.