Spain’s Madrid-Seville railway is the focus of a second European Union inquiry into possible fraud affecting EU-funded safety, signalling and communications work, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office said.
The inquiry is being conducted with support from the Central Operational Unit of the Guardia Civil (Unidad Central Operativa – UCO), the office said. Investigators are carrying out measures at the Administrator of Railway Infrastructure (ADIF), Spain’s State Railway Safety Agency (AESF) and the Court of Auditors.
The EPPO’s announcement also mentioned an Oct. 28 accident near Urda, in Toledo province, on the line, without linking the crash to the suspected funding fraud. A separate investigation opened in March concerns possible fraud involving EU funds for track maintenance near Adamuz, Córdoba, around kilometer marker 318.7.
Spain’s government approved €30 million on Nov. 3 for people affected by the Urda accident, divided between €15 million for urgent assistance and €15 million in advance civil-liability payments. Applications opened Nov. 6 for a three-month period.
