29/05/2026 (Agence Europe) – The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) announced on Thursday 28 May that it had opened an investigation into suspected fraud involving public procurement contracts and subsidies linked to the recovery plan established following the Covid-19 pandemic. Searches were carried out on Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28 May in Ajaccio and the surrounding area, in Corsica, at the request of the EPPO office in Paris. The investigation concerns public procurement financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the REACT-EU instrument, totalling approximately €18 million intended to support the economic recovery of local businesses. Documents and digital evidence were seized from private homes as well as from the premises of public bodies and companies. The investigation is continuing with the support of the Central Office for Combating Corruption and Financial and Fiscal Offences (OCLCIFF). The persons concerned are presumed innocent. (NP)