Progressive Slovakia: EU Suspects Systemic Misuse of EU Funds in Slovakia

Bratislava, 26 May (TASR) - There are suspicions of the systemic misuse of EU funds in Slovakia, with European Union institutions reporting that up to 80 percent of the financial resources have not been used for their intended purposes, MEP Michal Wiezik from the opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) party stated at a press conference on Monday as a member of the European Parliament's Budget Control Committee (CONT) delegation. "The reason why we're on this mission is quite clear. We're receiving troubling reports that the rule of law and the use of European funds in Slovakia are at risk," said Wiezik. "There are serious grounds for such an investigative mission. The issue with private properties relates to a specific call by the Agricultural Payment Agency, in which a total of €60 million was to be paid out for over a hundred projects," he explained. PS leader Michal Simecka stated that funds intended to support rural development and Slovak tourism have instead been used by people connected to the Smer-SD party to build private properties, and he called the need for such an investigative mission a great shame on Slovakia. Simecka recalled that monitoring the use of EU funds is one of the European Parliament's key responsibilities. "I'm glad that we can use all available tools to get answers," added Simecka. According to him, oversight by European institutions is crucial because the Slovak authorities have failed to act on this matter. "We'll use all available means, and yes, even European bodies; we aren't ashamed of that at all," stated Simecka. As of Monday, a delegation of the European Parliament's Budgetary Control Committee will investigate the use of European Union funds in Slovakia and national measures aimed at protecting EU taxpayers' money. lin/df