A major investigation into suspected EU fund fraud is underway in Romania, as the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) conducts coordinated searches at Sibiu International Airport, the Sibiu County Council, and multiple other locations tied to a €54.5 million EU-funded airport modernization project.
The probe, led by the EPPO’s Cluj-Napoca office, targets possible irregularities and a potential conflict of interest in the awarding of the publicly funded contract. Authorities executed 24 searches across Bucharest, Brașov, and Sibiu County.
The focus of the investigation is the project to modernize and expand airport infrastructure under the Large Infrastructure Operational Program 2014–2020. The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) contributed €54.5 million, which amounts to 85% of the total project cost.
Preliminary findings suggest that during the drafting of the project’s feasibility study, “highly specific conditions were established, potentially limiting the ability of other economic operators to submit bids.” The contract was ultimately awarded to the sole bidder, who is now suspected of providing “inaccurate statements about its ability to meet the stipulated requirements.”
Authorities have not yet pressed formal charges, and the investigation remains ongoing to “clarify the facts and assess whether any criminal offences have occurred.”
