Yvonne Farrugia has been appointed Malta’s European Prosecutor within the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO).

Dr Farrugia is one of the 22 European Prosecutors appointed by the the Council of the European Union to form part of the EPPO.

She was appointed after several public calls, and after a selection process by the EU. Dr Farrugia will be stationed in Luxemburg to serve in her new role as European Prosecutor representing Malta.

The office will be responsible for the investigation, the prosecution, and the bringing to justice, of those who are complicit or authors, in crimes which go against the financial interest of the EU.

It is also responsible for crimes related to fraud, misappropriation, corruption, and cross-border VAT fraud of over €10 million. This is an ambitious project which Malta was among the first to join in 2018.

So far there are 22 Member States participating in the EPPO.

The EPPO shall perform the function of prosecutor in the competent courts of the participating Member States in respect of such offenses. European Prosecutors will be overseeing investigations and prosecutions of these crimes affecting the European budget into a college, along with European Chief Prosecutor Laura Codruța Kövesi.

The EPPO should start operating towards the end of 2020, the Government said in a statement.