NEWS

Main opposition MPs raise questions on handling of refugee funds

Main opposition MPs raise questions on handling of refugee funds

Thirty MPs from Greece's Conservative party submitted a series of questions to seven ministers on Wednesday following a confirmation by the European Commission that Europe's anti-fraud agency (OLAF) is conducting an investigation into the alleged mismanagement of European Union funds in the country.

New Democracy's lawmakers said the probe has raised several questions, such as whether the government knows OLAF has been investigating the issue since 2017.

They also seek clarifications as to what stage the probe is at, as well as iits exact scope.

“Why hasn't any control mechanism been established until know to ensure that the money given to NGOs is properly and transparently used? How much of the available EU funds has the government used so far and how much of it has been disbursed? How have these funds been allocated? How many and what contracts has the government signed to manage migration, and after which procedure?” the lawmakers ask.

A European Commission spokesperson on Wednesday said the issue of funds used for migration had been referred to OLAF.

An agency spokesperson told the Brussels-based news website Politico on Tuesday that a probe had been launched following information submitted by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs in 2017.

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