The head of “Exodus Initiative e.V” of Germany Olga Parzany said that considerable European funds amounting to millions of euros were allocated in time for implementing projects in the Autonomous Territorial Unit (ATU) of Gagauzia. The conducted investigations showed that the allocated European funds were embezzled, including with the involvement of decision makers of Gagauzia. A part of the projects weren’t implemented and there are no final reports on the use of funds or these are not accessible to the public. Moreover, a large part of the activities planned to be carried out as part of the projects haven’t been even started, while the founded enterprises that were to create jobs went bankrupt.
“Even if a series of the projects were concluded long ago, the Executive Committee of Gagauzia hasn’t yet presented the required reports to the People’s Assembly. It goes to reports on activities that formed part of projects, the allocated sums, the achieved results and the contribution made to the given projects to improve the life of citizens of Gagauzia. This information is permanently concealed by the Executive Committee of Gagauzia. I want to note that the existing preliminary reports on European grants were falsified by the Executive Committee, while the mentioned results and indicators are far from being real,” Olga Parzany stated in a news conference hosted by IPN.
Olga Parzany and her team last year carried out an independent investigation into a European project to offer support to the local public administration. “Over €1.5 million was stolen from the project’s budget by the Executive Committee of Gagauzia. Direct responsibility is borne by Irina Vlah, the Bashkan of Gagauzia, and by Vadim Ceban, the president of the Administration Board of SA “Moldovagaz”, said the head of
“Exodus Initiative e.V” of Germany.
She noted that she informed the Delegation of the European Union about their findings, but no reaction followed.
“During the last few years, we collected a series of documents showing that the administration of the Executive Commission appropriated funds, grants. We ask and insist that the National Anticorruption Center should initiate a high-quality independent audit into all the projects financed through European Union grants. As we said earlier, we can confirm by documents the stealing and inappropriate use of EU funds and grants in Gagauzia. Also, we can prove the unjust enrichment of the administration of the Executive Commission,” said Olga Parzany
She noted that she started to work as a volunteer for charity projects in Gagauzia over 15 years ago and currently helps Gagauz people to detect corruption schemes. She considers that only the fight against corruption can help improve the quality of people’s lives. “I want to note that my efforts to fight corruption are not paid by someone and are not work done by order. This is not a fight against someone specifically. It is a fight against corrupt systems. However, there are people behind these systems and that’s why it is important for me and my team to tell the names of those who are involved in corruption,” stated Olga Parzany.
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