The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) announced it had opened a second investigation into possible fraud involving EU funds for the maintenance and upgrading of Spain’s Madrid‑Seville high‑speed railway line. The investigation, led by the EPPO’s Madrid office, is being carried out at ADIF, the Spanish Railway Safety Agency (AESF) and the Court of Auditors, with support from the Central Operative Unit (UCO) of the Spanish Civil Guard.
According to an EPPO statement, the probe follows a deadly train crash that occurred near Urda in the province of Toledo on October 28, on the same railway line. Earlier, in January, a crash at Adamuz killed 46 people. In March, EPPO had opened its first investigation into possible fraud involving EU funds for railway maintenance near Adamuz.
Le Monde reports that the EU is investigating the possible misuse of EU funds earmarked for the renovation of a Spanish railway line where a train crash killed 69 people. The article was published an hour before the Xinhua report.
EPPO said it had “exceptionally decided to confirm the opening of the investigation given the high level of public interest” and that it would not disclose further details at this stage. The investigation concerns EU funds allocated to the upgrading of the Madrid‑Seville high‑speed railway line, including its safety, signalling and communication systems.
