The European Antifraud Fight Office (OLAF) investigates the way a contract worth tens of millions of euros was granted in Romania. The contract addresses modernizing the energy complex in Craiova (south), sources in Brussels told HotNews.ro. OLAF confirms that it investigates possible issues, but it does not give details. This is about a deal for gas sulphur removal, initially won by French Group Alstom Power Italian branch. The Commission for Solving Contestations has disqualified Alstom, after the complaint made by the Italian-Chinese-Romanian consortium Idreco-Insigma-Romelectro. Idreco-Insigma has recently been involved in a fraud scandal in Bulgaria. An OLAF investigation was initiated here as well and Bulgaria risks losing, in its turn, European funds worth of tens of millions of euros.

Antifraud Office Investigation. "OLAF conforms that it opened an investigation following notifications on possible illegalities committed during the auctioning process followed by the allocation of funds for certain works scheduled to be carried out at the energy complex in Craiova, Nevertheless, bearing in mind that this is an ongoing investigation and taking into consideration the requirement of preserving the administrative and judicial secret, OLAF cannot make any comment at this stage", European Antifraud Office spokesperson Agnes Horvath told HotNews.ro.A generous contract. The contract was granted in June 2009 to Idreco - Insigma - Romelectro consortium (Italian-Chinese-Romanian), although the auction had been initially won by French group Alstom Italian branch, which had offered a better price (52.2 million euros vs. 57,4 millions, Alstom's offer). It addresses a public acquisition contract called "Joint installation of gas sulphur removal through burning in blocks 1 and 2 SE Craiova II". The woks and modernisation of energy complex in Craiova is achieved thro