Poland forced to return 20 million euro to EU
PR dla Zagranicy
John Beauchamp
14.07.2011 12:38
The government in Warsaw has had to return 80 million zloty (20 million euro) to the EU in misused subsidies allocated to convergence arrangements in line with the Schengen border agreement, which allows for borderless travel within a number of countries in Europe.
The sum had to be returned after random checks by the European Commission showed discrepancies as to where the money had been allocated.
“Some of the penalties are justified,” an employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs told the Dziennik Gazeta Prawna newspaper, “because some of the subsidies were handed out without a public tender.”
However, in some instances the EU auditors were more forbidding, ordering a 6 million zloty return following the purchase by Polish customs officials of 16 Mercedes Sprinter minivans.
The vans were found to have equipment for the dismantling of motor vehicles as well as fuel testing units. The EU auditors stipulated that the testing of vehicles and fuel goes against the project under which the devices were financed.
The Commission’s demands do not allow for appeal, and as such the money has been taken from public funds to pay the penalty. (jb)