Zdechovsky: Concerns Regarding Alleged Misuse of EU Funds Not Dispelled

Bratislava, May 28 (TASR) - At the end of the mission, I must admit that our concerns regarding the troubling reports about the alleged misuse of European Union funds and violations of rules have not entirely disappeared, head of the delegation of the European Parliament's Committee on Budgetary Oversight Tomas Zdechovsky (Czech Republic) stated at a press conference in Bratislava on Wednesday. According to Zdechovsky, the visit by MEPs was also prompted by reports of possible rule violations by individuals with ties to the Slovak government. „At the end of our mission, I must admit that our concerns have not completely disappeared," Zdechovsky declared. The EP members plan to present their findings from the mission to the rest of the European Parliament following their visit to Slovakia. „We will decide how to proceed. But allow me to assure you that the European Parliament will use all its tools to protect EU taxpayers’ money so it can be spent for the benefit of Slovakia and its citizens," he stated. He added that the delegation is taking with it a large amount of material that will need to be thoroughly analyzed. Individuals who illicitly obtained money from EU funds will, according to him, have to return the funds and face proper investigation. However, he noted that there is currently no threat of these funds being withdrawn from Slovakia. Another member of the delegation, Michal Wiezik (Slovakia), said he fully agrees with the position presented by the head of the mission. "We are not leaving Slovakia with the sense that everything is fine... My feeling is that the situation is indeed serious and that we are facing systemic misuse of EU funds." He also expressed doubts about the operations of the Agricultural Payment Agency (PPA), particularly in connection with the "hacienda" scandal. The four-member EP delegation visited Slovakia for three days starting Monday (May 26). The aim was to examine how EU funds are being spent. The delegation was led by Czech MEP Zdechovsky and included MEPs Wiezik, Ondrej Knotek (Czech Republic), and Daniel Freund (Germany). mf