Schreyer: no way back for Andreasen

Date: 13/03/03

By Martin Banks and David Cronin

BUDGET Commissioner Michaele Schreyer this week insisted that suspended whistleblower Marta Andreasen should not be given her job back. "Her behaviour has left a lot to be desired and, whatever happens, I do not believe she should be reinstated," she told European Voice.

Schreyer was speaking after details emerged of a confidential memo sent by Jules Muis, head of the Commission's internal audit service, to Neil Kinnock, the Commission vice-president responsible for internal reform. Muis stated that Andreasen's criticisms of the auditing system were "factually substantive and correct".

Schreyer, however, stands by the decision to axe Andreasen last May. Despite the views expressed by Muis in his briefing note at that time, Schreyer described Andreasen's allegations as "groundless".

However, she admitted there had been a collapse in relations between herself, Andreasen and Jean-Paul Mingasson, the then budget director-general, who had opposed Schreyer's appointment of the Argentinian as accounting officer.

"Yes, there was a breakdown between the three of us but her allegation of a flawed system in the budgets department is simply not correct," she said. "As far as I am concerned, this memo does not vindicate Andreasen at all.

"We have put forward a new system for dealing with our accounts. The reform process introduced by Neil Kinnock is well under way and I do not think we should allow anyone - Marta Andreasen or anyone else - to derail this."

Andreasen reacted to the leaked Muis memo by declaring: "This makes clear the troubles I encountered on a technical level and the environment I had to work in."

She called for the European Court of Auditors to publish the final version of a report into the Commission's accounting system. Although she declined to comment on claims that some MEPs are threatening to refuse to discharge the 2001 accounts, ie approve the Commission's management of the EU budget, she warned of serious consequences if the Parliament failed to take heed of the Court's assessment.

"There were no reforms during 2001 or 2002," she claimed. "Schreyer's new action plan fails to specify the computer system on which the funds will be managed - the fundamental element of the reform."

It is now eight months since Andreasen was suspended and she is currently in talks with lawyers over her options as they await the outcome of a Commission probe headed by Irish official Tom Cranfield.

Andreasen has refused to lie low since being suspended. She has been appointed as an unpaid vice-president of staff union Action et Défense which, alongside other unions, is voicing concerns about the nature of reforms in the EU institutions.

Meanwhile, pressure is growing on Kinnock to publish the Muis memo and give a full explanation about it to MEPs. The Welshman has been invited to appear before the budgetary control committee in Brussels next Monday.

Hans-Gert Pöttering, leader of the European People's Party group, said: "We have a number of questions we would like to put to him - such as why he did not inform the Parliament about the memo and why has it taken so long for it to come to light. The question of whether the 2001 budget will be signed-off will depend on the answers he gives."

The Socialist group, however, backs the former head of the UK Labour Party. "I have spoken about this to Neil and he says he has fulfilled all his duties in this matter," said PES leader Enrique Barón Crespo.

A Commission spokesman said MEPs had enough information to enable them to discharge the 2001 accounts. Jules Muis, meanwhile, declined to comment.

Budget Commissioner Michaele Schreyer has insisted that suspended whistleblower Marta Andreasen should not be given her job back.