(Luxembourg, 27 June 2025) – Following an indictment issued by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in České Budějovice (Czechia) in July 2024, the former mayor of the municipality of Abertamy, a representative of a construction company and a construction supervisor were convicted by the regional court of Pilsen this week (24 June). They defrauded around €420 000 in EU funds for the reconstruction of a museum.
The investigation revealed that from 2017 to 2018, the municipality, based on the then mayor's instructions, paid for uncompleted work on the museum reconstruction project in Abertamy. The representative of the construction company carrying out the works and the construction supervisor helped the mayor to disguise the fraudulent actions. Subsequently, false data of completed tasks was submitted to the subsidy authority, based on which EU funds were unlawfully paid.
The project was co-financed under the Czech Republic - Free State of Saxony 2014–2020 cooperation programme in the amount of approximately €640 000, with an estimated damage to the EU budget of around €420 000.
The former mayor was convicted of subsidy fraud, abuse of authority and breach of duty in managing another individual’s property, and the court sentenced him to six years of imprisonment and five years of prohibition of public administration activities. Both the representative of the construction company and the construction supervisor were sentenced to five years of imprisonment and a five-year ban on participation in business corporations for aiding and abetting the criminal activity.
The investigation was greatly supported by the Regional Police Directorate of the Karlovy Vary Region.
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is the independent public prosecution office of the European Union. It is responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of the EU.