OLAF moet verder gaan in onderzoek naar vermeende corruptie

• 2011-03-30
• Democratie & mensenrechten

Hieronder de persmededeling die ik zopas samen met de Groene fractie verstuurde naar aanleiding van de beslissing van EP-voorzitter J. Buzek om OLAF niet te betrekken bij het onderzoek naar de vermeende corruptie bij leden van het Europese Parlement. Het document in bijlage toont dat OLAF juridische argumenten heeft om wel degelijk op te treden in deze zaak van corruptie waarin bepaalde Europarlementsleden zouden zijn betrokken. Groen! vraagt dan ook aan het EP en voorzitter Buzek om volledige medewerking aan het onderzoek te verlenen.

*** PERSBERICHT VAN DE GROENE FRACTIE IN HET EP ***

MEP corruption scandal
EU anti-fraud office (OLAF) must get go-ahead to investigate implications of corruption allegations

In the aftermath of revelations about MEP corruption, alleged by the Sunday Times newspaper, the European Parliament administration is continuing to block attempts by the EU anti-fraud office (OLAF) to more thoroughly investigate the allegations and their implications. The Greens believe that the applicable regulations make it clear that OLAF has a competence to investigate and are calling on the EP and its president Buzek to cooperate fully with OLAF on an investigation. Commenting on the need for an OLAF investigation, Green MEP and vice-president of the EP's budgetary control committee Bart Staes said:

"These revelations have dealt a severe blow to the credibility of the European Parliament, the EU's only democratically elected institution. There can be zero tolerance for corruption and it is crucial that no stone is left unturned in investigating the allegations raised by the Sunday Times, and the wider implications of the issues raised in some of the taped meetings.

"The European Parliament should clearly be doing all within its power to ensure that a comprehensive investigation is carried out. However, we are concerned that the EP administration is obstructing due process in this regard by refusing to allow the EU anti-fraud office (OLAF) to conduct an investigation. It is clearly within the competences of OLAF to investigate these allegations of misconduct, as set out in the legislative decision establishing OLAF and the inter-institutional agreement of 1999. We call on EP president Buzek to give the immediate go-ahead to OLAF to investigate and on the EP administration to cooperate fully in this regard.

"This scandal has clearly raised wider implications about the current rules in place on financial and professional interests, transparency (including lobbying) and their enforcement. The Greens will be coming forward with comprehensive proposals to this end."