EPPO has brought four AFDJ Galați officials and two entities to trial in a case concerning tugboats purchased for 7 million euros

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Cluj-Napoca has indicted four public officials from the Lower Danube River Administration (AFDJ) Galați, an individual and a company before the Iași Tribunal in a case concerning the purchase of two tugboats financed with approximately €7 million in European funds.

The vessels, purchased through the Large Infrastructure Operational Programme 2014–2020 and delivered in 2021, were intended for navigation on the Lower Danube, including during periods of low water levels. According to EPPO, the tender documentation included technical requirements specific to seagoing vessels, even though the tugboats were intended for inland waterways. Prosecutors argue that these conditions restricted competition and favoured a single company.

The tugboats had an actual draught of 2.6 metres, exceeding the contractual limit of 2 metres, which limits their use during periods of low water levels on the Danube. The four officials are accused of accepting the vessels and signing documents that allegedly falsely attested to compliance with the technical requirements. The estimated damage to the European Union budget is approximately €7 million. The defendants benefit from the presumption of innocence.