On 30 March 2023, two individuals and one company were convicted by the Specialised Criminal Court in Slovakia of VAT and EU fund fraud committed between 2017-2018, following an indictment by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) regarding overevaluation of machinery to obtain EU funds.
The case was brought to justice by the EPPO’s office in Bratislava (Slovakia) on 30 May 2021. Three individuals and one company were indicted for fraud to the European Regional Development Fund, amounting to €375 000, and unlawful application for VAT refund, as well as tax evasion.
The court sentenced one of the individuals to seven years’ imprisonment and another to five years and six months. The company indicted was banned from applying for EU funding for seven years. The fourth defendant was acquitted by the court of first instance.
Yesterday, 11 April 2023, the EPPO office in Bratislava filed an appeal with the Supreme Court of the Slovak Republic against this judgment. Under the appeal, the EPPO asks the Supreme Court to revert the acquittal of one of the defendants, as well as the refusal of the court to order the repayment of damages in criminal proceedings. It also asks the court to review the light sentences issued to the main offenders and the legal qualification of the case, which should be considered as crimes committed by an organised group.