KPMG report exposes €1.9 million billing discrepancy at Differdange Science Center

Last week, auditing firm KPMG presented its final report on the Differdange Science Center and the private company GGM11, which is owned by Nicolas Didier, the Science Center's president. Among other things, the report shows the sums invoiced by Didier to the Science Center – a state-subsidised nonprofit – for the expansion of the facility that he himself had planned.

According to RTL sources, KMPG cannot confirm that the hours billed by Didier were real and tangible after checking the books. The invoices in question totalled €1.9 million.

Last year's audit by the Inspectorate of Finance (IGF) found that there was no formal order from the Education Ministry to the Science Center to plan the expansion. There is therefore no financial commitment from the Ministry to the nonprofit to cover the costs of such an extension.

A general assembly of the Science Center will be held on Tuesday afternoon. At this meeting, statutes are to be amended and internal rules will be adopted so that the Science Center can meet the requirements of the Education Ministry for new subsidies. A meeting is also scheduled in the coming days between the Ministry and the Science Center's administrative board to discuss next steps.

Background of the controversy

Last year, the Ministry of Education decided to cancel the funding agreement with the Science Center because of governance problems. Didier, as chairman of the state-subsidised nonprofit, had awarded contracts to his private company GGM11 without putting it out to tender.

For months the company did not have valid authorisation to fulfil the orders. It was on these grounds that Didier was fined last autumn. Furthermore, the public prosecutor's office is still continuing its investigation following the denunciation made by the IGF after its audit.