Bangladesh, July 24 -- Latvian authorities have raided two hospitals as part of a criminal investigation into the suspected fraudulent use of €657,000 ($749,779) in European Union funds, in a case that has intensified scrutiny of public procurement practices involving post-pandemic recovery money.

The investigation is being led by the European Public Prosecutors Office (EPPO), which announced that it is examining allegations of bid-rigging and abuse of office linked to two procurement contracts for sterilization equipment and medical technology services. The projects were financed through a combination of Latvias national budget and the European Unions COVID-19 recovery package.

According to the EPPO, investigators suspect that a ...