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The EPPO said in an online statement this week that it has launched an investigation into a suspected fraudulent scheme involving €340,000 in EU funds intended for small-scale solar projects in Slovenia.
Two unnamed companies are suspected of submitting fraudulent applications for co-financing under a public call by the Slovenian Ministry of Infrastructure, which is financed by the European Commission’s Cohesion Fund.
The companies allegedly falsely represented a single solar power plant as two separate projects to avoid building permit requirements. The project was intended for installation on agricultural land, where solar installations are prohibited, and in a protected heritage area, where the necessary permission for cultural conservation is lacking.
Investigators said they also suspect the use of forged documents to support the claims. Police in Celje, Slovenia, carried out house searches on January 7 and 8.
Although the European Union approved €340,000 in financing, no payments were made as the fraudulent scheme was exposed before the payout. The investigation is still ongoing and according to the EPPO statement, all persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
The EPPO, the European Union’s independent public prosecutor, investigates and prosecutes crimes affecting the bloc’s financial interests.
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