Bitola, 26 July 2023 (MIA) - If investigations of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) result in suspicions of criminal activities, those cases will be forwarded to the Public Prosecutor's Office (PPO) and we would expect the Public Prosecutor to undertake timely activities that we will monitor closely, said EU Ambassador David Geer in Bitola on Wednesday.

Ambassador Geer confirmed that OLAF has drafted recommendations for European institutions and Macedonian authorities regarding the abuse of European funds.

"This demonstrates the seriousness of EU's approach in inspecting the way in which money of European taxpayers are spent in North Macedonia. Let me emphasize that OLAF is a very serious body that conducts investigations on how EU funds are spent. I can confirm the number but I do not know the details of the investigations. If OLAF investigations result in suspicion of criminal activities, those cases will be forwarded to the Public Prosecutor's Office (PPO) and we would expect the Public Prosecutor to undertake timely activities that we will monitor closely," said Geer.

He added that people who abuse money of European taxpayers are defrauding Macedonian citizens as well.

Over the past five years, OLAF opened 36 investigations for abuse or irregularities related to European funds in the countries of the Western Balkans, 18 of which relating to North Macedonia, Euronews Albania reported. In 2022, four investigations opened for the country, with three closed through issuance of recommendations.