The investors to benefit from the EU agriculture funds in 2008 are, according to an in-depth research conducted by HotNews.ro reporters, a series of administration officials and notorious businessmen. The sums obtained by their projects ranges between 300,000 and 1.1 million euros.

7 out of the 30 projects approved for EU financing that HotNews.ro reporters managed to study in detail involve public figures, including a County Council chairman, mayors, local counselors and businessmen.

The Rural Development Nation al Program allocates until 2013 some 8 billion euro for public and private projects.

In brief:

- Multiagra Vlasinesti, county of Botosani, obtained 2.4 million RON. The company belongs to a well-known local businessman who was fined for running a farm without an environment approval and for illegally dumping waste water.

- Nicvitib SRL, also in the county Botosani, gets 1.2 million RON as non-refundable subsidies. One of the shareholders is a mayor in a village heavily affected by the recent floods.

- Agromec Visina SA, in the county of Olt, got 3.7 million RON (1 million euros). The company was owned before the local elections by Paul Stanescu, now president of the County Council, who still has some land leased to the company.

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