Romanian could be compelled to pay back 13.9 million euro to the European Commission from the EU SAPARD structural funds, due to a series of irregularities of the procedures in 2004 and 2005 were found, Romanian news agency Mediafax informs.

After a thorough verification of the SAPARD payments in 2004 and 2005, the EC official audit recommended in August 2007, financial corrections of 21.44 million euro, the Romanian institution handling SAPARD funds declared in a press release.

The proposal was subject of a negotiation between the Romanians and EU officials and resulted in a final correction of 13.96 million euro. The EC analyzes the report of the negotiation organism and will take a final decision on the financial corrections, that could be less than the 13.96 million euro. Romanian officials declared that Romania could not be compelled to pay back any sum of money.

Financial corrections are applied if the EC considers that the communitarian law was not respected in the program, causing a risk for the communitarian budget. The EC accepted to expand the SAPARD funds for another year until 2009.