Ministry of Innovation, Ministry of Interior and SANS cooperate to fight corruption in EU funds spending

An Interaction and Cooperation Agreement has been signed between the Ministry of Innovation and Growth, the Ministry of Interior and the State Agency for National Security, the Ministry of Innovation and Growth announced on June 27.

The Agreement regulates the cooperation in carrying out joint prevention actions and inspections in case of evidence of irregularities or crimes of a general nature in the spending of European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF).

Minister for Innovation and Growth Daniel Lorer commented that the Agreement will help to intensify work with the Ministry of the Interior and the SANS to have more effective mechanisms to reduce opportunities for corruption under EU programmes.

The purpose of the agreement is to ensure that the interaction between the state bodies contributes to the legal spending of the EUIF funds, the protection of the financial interests of the European Union and the protection of national security by establishing and optimising communication channels for the exchange of information.

Cooperation between the institutions will be intensified in analysing information, carrying out joint inspections, supporting and complementing each other operationally, in terms of information and expertise, and sharing specialised know-how, as well as any other action that may contribute to the fulfilment of the objectives of the Agreement.

It provides for the possibility of organising joint training courses to improve the skills of administrative staff in the fields of combating irregularities and fraud, protecting the financial interests of the European Union, combating money laundering and other activities contrary to the established legal order.