Czech FinMin, regions to blame for EU funds bad drawing -minister Prague, Jan 3 (CTK) - The former leadership of the Czech Education Ministry, the Finance Ministry´s control body and bad steps taken by the Central Bohemia and Usti regions are to blame for mistakes in drawing money from EU funds, Education Minister Josef Dobes (Public Affairs, VV) said today. Shadow education minister (Social Democrats, CSSD) and deputy Central Bohemia governor Marcel Chladek dismissed Dobes´s statement as a lie. He said the Central Bohemia Region ended best in the controls while the biggest problems were found on the part of the ministry. The drawing of money from the Education for Competitiveness Operational Programme with a budget of 53 billion crowns may be suspended over the mistakes. Dobes told journalists that he has already started to rectify the mistakes. Prime Minister Petr Necas (Civic Democrats, ODS) who received him today came out in his support. Necas said Dobes has clearly promised to solve the problem by April in order to avert the suspension of the flow of money from EU funds. "The shortcomings in the control system are in many cases the doing of the PAS control body that is methodically directed by the Finance Ministry. The PAS made controls of the projects did not expose the mistakes that the European Commission uncovered in a subsequent control," Dobes said. "Ninety percent of the criticism relates to (projects) from the years 2008-09," Dobes said. Dobes became minister in mid-2010. The ministry´s section for drawing money from EU funds was then headed by Jan Vitula (TOP 09). Vitula has, however, dismissed having made any mistake and said bad management and Dobes´ chaotic personnel policy are responsible for them. Five managers have gradually headed the EU funds department under Dobes. The Education Ministry has long been criticised for drawing money from EU funds. Dobes has been criticised in this connection by TOP 09 and the CSSD. The Usti Region said today it cannot comment on Dobes´s criticism because it does not know the content of the EC audit yet, its spokeswoman Magdalena Hanackova said. ($1=19.718 crowns) ms/dr/hol   