The Committee of the European Parliament for Budget Control (CONT) has been dealing with deficiencies in the management and control of European agricultural funds in Slovakia for a long time.
Czech MEP Tomáš Zdechovský from the faction of the European People’s Party (EPP) turned to the European Commission (EC) for European subsidies in Slovakia. He asks her to explain why European funds could also be allocated to entities allegedly connected to persons connected to the Dobytkár corruption case. In a written interpellation, the EC drew attention to the risk of persistent influence networks in the Slovak Payment Agency. He published the information on his website on Tuesday, writes TASR.
The Bytkár case and corruption structures
Zdechovský pointed out that the Committee of the European Parliament for Budget Control (CONT) has been dealing with deficiencies in the management and control of European agricultural funds in Slovakia for a long time. According to him, the Dobytkár case revealed a systemic corruption scheme in which bribes of 20 to 25 percent of the provided funds were allegedly demanded during the allocation of subsidies.
He reminded that the case also includes businessman Norbert Bödör, who has already been charged in connection with the case. “European money cannot end up with people connected to corrupt structures. If it is confirmed that the influential networks surrounding the Dobytkár case survived and continue to have an impact on agricultural subsidies, the European Commission must act quickly and hard. It is not only about Slovakia, but about citizens’ trust in the entire European financing,” said Zdechovský in a press release.
She wants to know from the EC whether, according to her, the new information indicates a persistent failure to resolve the conflict of interests according to Article 61 of the EU Financial Regulation. At the same time, he demands that the EC describe specific measures to protect the European budget, including possible financial corrections, audits or suspension of payments. “If national authorities cannot ensure that subsidies are distributed transparently and without political or personal influence, the European level must intervene,” added the MEP.
