EU may withhold subsidies for Czech operational programme

The EU may withhold hundreds of millions of crowns in subsidies for the Czech operational programme Education for Competitiveness, the Czech Supreme Auditing Office said on Monday. The auditing authority revealed problems with project- evaluation, selection and supervision, a spokeswoman for the office said. The Education for Competitiveness operational programme has faced problems for years; Education Minister Petr Fiala warned earlier this year the Czech Republic may be unable to receive between four and five billion crowns from the programme due to poorly prepared projects and delays.