Romania to pay 75m euros in EU penalties on agriculture

Agriculture Minister Valeriu Tabără stated the sum Romania has to pay to the European Commission is likely to drop below 75m euros, the level of penalties for the improper spending of some European funds.

“What’s important is that we had around 100m euros announced first, we had discussed with the Court of Accounts, as well, as control operations are undertaken not only by the Ministry, but also by the Court of Accounts, by the other institutions and in the wake of these operations and discussions the penalty was cut by around 25m euros. Our hope is for this sum (of 75m euros i.e.) to be cut and there are arguments for this,” Tabără said.

He stated the money had to be paid in five instalments and was taken from other funds.

The European Commission is claiming back a sum of 74.9m euros allotted to Romania for agriculture, which was misspent, with irregularities being related to controls and providing inexact information to farmers, as part of a programme through which European authorities impose total penalties worth 530m euros to member states.