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News article16 December 2022European Anti-Fraud Office

OLAF statement on recent media reports concerning the European Parliament

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OLAF has been following the recent reports in the press of suspicions of corruption and the potential implication of current and former Members and staff of the European Parliament, including Ms Eva Kaili.

As it has recently become known, OLAF has completed an investigation regarding suspicions of fraud in the management of the parliamentary allowance for accredited parliamentary assistants (APAs) by two Members of the European Parliament.

OLAF Director-General Ville Itälä said: ‘’There is no link between the issues investigated by OLAF and the issues under investigation in the ‘Qatargate’, as the matter has been dubbed by many. When it comes to the so-called Qatargate, OLAF is following the matter very closely, in line with its investigative experience and analytical expertise. OLAF’s mandate includes indeed administrative investigations into serious misconduct, including corruption, by EU officials or members of EU institutions and bodies that can damage both the Union’s financial interests and its reputation. We are in contact with the Belgian authorities on the matter.’’

The OLAF investigation, which was conducted in complementarity with the mandate of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), was completed on 23 November 2022 and the final report was subsequently sent to the EPPO.

OLAF’s conclusions concerned mismanagement of the parliamentary allowance for accredited parliamentary assistants. Financial and disciplinary recommendations were sent to the European Parliament in this regard. OLAF also intends to issue an administrative recommendation to the European Parliament.

Any possible follow-up to OLAF’s recommendations is a prerogative of the competent authorities, in this case the European Parliament.

OLAF fully respects the presumption of innocence and the rights of defence of any persons or entities concerned by an investigation.

OLAF can provide no further comment. OLAF cannot comment on possible investigations affecting persons named in media articles in order to ensure legal confidentiality requirements of any possible investigation or subsequent administrative or judicial follow-up.

Details

Publication date
16 December 2022
Author
European Anti-Fraud Office
News type
OLAF news article