The delegation from the European Parliament’s Committee on Budgetary Control, which visited Slovakia from Monday 26 to Wednesday 28 May to assess the country’s use of European funds and measures in place to protect the EU’s financial interests, was not reassured by what it found, according to a Parliament press release published on Wednesday.
Robert Fico’s Slovakia has been in the crosshairs of the European institutions for several months now, on the grounds that it is undermining the Rule of law (see EUROPE 13478/16, 13567/4). “We visited Slovakia because we have been receiving alarming reports of the alleged misuse of EU funds and violations involving individuals connected to Slovakia’s governments”, said Tomáš Zdechovský MEP (EPP, Czech), and head of the delegation from the Committee on Budgetary Control, on Wednesday.
The dismantling of the Office of the Special Prosecutor, which dealt with corruption cases and which had already been singled out in 2024 (see EUROPE 13478/16), and the implementation of the agricultural funds were directly at the heart of the discussions.
The media and representatives of civil society have reported pressure and intimidation from the political authorities, in addition to difficulties in accessing information. In addition, agricultural or rural development funding for guest houses or for the purchase of lorries was not used for its intended purpose.
“We simply want EU funds to reach those for whom they are intended”, summed up Tomáš Zdechovský, who warned that their conclusions would be passed on to the other MEPs so that Parliament could decide what action to take. (Original version in French by Florent Servia)