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Romania’s Agric Min Urges Probe Into Alleged Fixed Auction

Romania’s agriculture minister Dacian Ciolos asked Monday for a probe into the public procurement auction organized by the agriculture payment agency APIA to buy ATVs, as well as other auctions organized by the agency.
Romania’s Agric Min Urges Probe Into Alleged Fixed Auction
12 nov. 2007, 15:06, English

"To get an overview on APIA’s public procurement auctions, the agriculture minister asked the Department for Audit and the General Department fro Technical Inspection and Control within the ministry to draw up a report on the technical and administrative aspects involved in the organization of recent auctions," the ministry said in a statement.

The probe into the auction for ATVs could take about a week, ministry officials told MEDIAFAX.

The auction could be cancelled if irregularities are found.

APIA in September organized a public bid to buy two lots of ATVs, of 125 and 70 units, respectively, and 55 off-road vehicles. The deadline for bid submission was September 25.

Romanian daily "Cotidianul" reported Monday that the ATVs were bought for double their market price. The contract was attributed to American ATV, and the contract value amounts to 9.6 million lei (EUR1-RON3.4414).

The agency manages European funds for agriculture and pays European subsidies.