The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) in Bucharest announces having filed charges against four suspects believed to be part of a criminal ring with ties to Italian mafia groups, in a case of an EUR 4.3 million subsidy fraud involving EU and national funds.In a statement this Tuesday, EPPO said that allegations are that the defendants formed a criminal group with other suspects to provide false letters of guarantee to awardees of EU-funded projects, which claimed to insure the projects against potential damages. In exchange for issuing the letters, the suspects are understood to have collected large amounts of money. According to the prosecutors, the suspects are believed to have carried out this fraudulent scheme in the name of companies registered in Czechia and Latvia, which did not have the right to issue letters of guarantee, nor the financial resources to cover the insured damages.The use of these documents resulted in an illicit gain of approximately EUR 4.3 million, most of the amount coming from the European Regional Development Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Regional Operational Programme.The move of EPPO Bucharest is the result of several investigations into criminal schemes using the same modus operandi, following house searches conducted in Romania and France in May 2023. Earlier, in 2023, other suspects were charged and are currently awaiting trial. Also, EUR 450,000 worth of assets were seized.If found guilty, the defendants face between four and 15 years of imprisonment.Based on the principle of loyal cooperation, the EPPO has alerted the Romanian Ministry of Investment and European projects about the existence of possible vulnerabilities in the management of European funds, which result in a significantly low level of protection of EU's financial interests in Romania.According to the operation methods identified in several cases, the elements that generated a high risk of fraud in EU-funded contracts consisted in the use of letters of guarantee issued by fictitious entities, or that didn't have the right to issue such documents. The bogus documents helped the fraudsters win several public award procedures, and consequently EPPO opened several investigations therein.
North Bucharest Investments anticipates a surge in international interest in the local real estate market following the launch of the Romanian Golden Visa program — a modern mechanism granting foreign investors a 5-year residence permit and the possibility to later apply for Romanian citizenship. The program, which allows eligible investments starting from €400,000 in real […]
Between October 21-25, Bucharest hosts the Climate Change Summit, the most important event in Central and Eastern Europe dedicated to climate action. The main event will take place on October 21 at the Palace of Parliament, featuring the participation of international leaders, decision-makers, and sustainability experts. CCS Week includes...
The works of several Romanian designers and artists will be on display at the Hôtel de Béhague in Paris, the headquarters of the Romanian Embassy, as part of the exhibition Valuable. The Romanian artists and designers included in the exhibition are Radu Abraham, Mircea Cantor, Bogdan Ciocodeică, Constantin Flondor, Cosmin Florea, Nona Inescu, Șerban Ionescu, […]
SCUT, Romania’s newest cybersecurity company, has officially launched the concept of the digital cyber shield — a unified approach, co-created with Orange Cyberdefense — that provides a high level of protection, complete visibility, and coordinated assistance in the event of a cyberattack. The event, organized in Bucharest, brought together industry experts, partners of the new […]
The Romanian engineering and technology company Simtel (BVB: SMTL) announced on Tuesday, October 14, that one of its companies will open a factory in Băicoi, Prahova, to produce industrial cleaning robots. Simtel has a 51% stake in Agora Robotics, the company that will operate the factory set to open in November. “We already have a […]
Over 50 civic and environmental organizations are calling on the General Council of the Municipality of Bucharest to increase fines for illegal deforestation. At the moment, the fine for the illegal cutting of a tree is only RON 50 (EUR 10), or even RON 25 (EUR 5) if paid within 15 days. The organizations have […]
