| Author (Person) | Cronin, David |
|---|---|
| Series Title | European Voice |
| Series Details | Vol.9, No.34, 16.10.03, p3 |
| Publication Date | 16/10/2003 |
| Content Type | News |
|
By David Cronin Date: 16/10/03 EU ANTI-fraud office OLAF cancelled a major probe into the scandal-embroiled Eurostat data agency earlier this year, it has been alleged. This latest claim in the Eurostat saga comes from Socialist MEP Paulo Casaca, vice-chairman of the Parliament's budget control committee (Cocobu). In a letter sent to Cocobu chairwoman Diemut Theato on Monday (13 October), Casaca requested that Franz-Hermann Brüner, OLAF's director-general, explain why "a large scale and coordinated on-the-spot investigation by OLAF on the Eurostat/European Publications Office datashop network, planned to take place in Luxembourg as well as several other member states, was envisaged for February last but was cancelled at the last minute". Speaking to European Voice, Casaca said he had been informed about the cancelled probe by a reliable source. The investigation was due to study possible irregularities both at Eurostat and in the national statistical agencies of some member states, including his native Portugal. Casaca has asked if the decision to call off the inquiry was the result of political pressure. "There is something fishy here," he added. "I would like to know what's going on." An OLAF spokesman said the director-general was willing to provide answers to Cocobu. "Out of respect for the Parliament, Mr Brüner wishes to give his response directly to the Parliament," the spokesman added. Despite Casaca's allegation, another OLAF source explained that the office has opened 12 investigations into Eurostat to date, four of which remain open. Of the other eight, four dossiers have been transferred to prosecutors in Luxembourg and Paris since 2002, while the remainder were handed to the Commission last month. OLAF is currently studying allegations against the European Publications Office (OPOCE) made by whistleblower Paul van Buitenen in August 2001. OPOCE has acted as a sales agent for books and CD-Roms prepared by Eurostat. In his dossier, van Buitenen cited claims that Lucien Emringer, the former OPOCE director, gave "preferential treatment" in awarding contracts to printing company Imprimerie Centrale de Luxembourg and that an information technology firm set up by Fred Tonhofer, one of Emringer's advisors, received "privileged treatment" when tendering for contracts from EU institutions. Emringer strongly rejected the claims, saying they "lack any basis whatsoever". He discounted one of the central planks of van Buitenen's evidence, that Impremerie Centrale printed publications for the Luxembourg Christian Social Party, of which he claimed Emringer "is a prominent member". Emringer said: "I have never been a member of the Christian Social Party and would never give preference to a supplier for any other reason than those foreseen by the procedures. I have always, in my capacity as director of OPOCE, endeavoured to make sure that the procedures for awarding print contracts were objective," he added. Tonhofer, now an official in the Parliament's Luxembourg-based translation service, said he had set up his firm, Cybea, while on unpaid leave in 1999. The firm is now dormant and has "never had any business with [EU] institutions", he said. Tonhofer added that all but one of van Buitenen's claims were "absurd". It was true that he helped a firm providing computing services to EU bodies to procure an internet domain name. But he said he received no money from the company, SISEG, in return. David Harley, the Parliament's spokesman, said the assembly was not aware of the claims against Tonhofer. Meanwhile, Planistat Europe, one of the firms implicated in the fraud scandal, has gone bust, it emerged on Tuesday. The Luxembourg subsidiary of French group Planistat collapsed as a direct result of seeing its contracts with Eurostat severed in July, a union official said. The Vice-Chairman of the European Parliament's Budget Control Committee (COCOBU) and Socialist MEP, Paulo Casaco, has written to COCOBU Chairman, Diemut Theato, asking for an explanation why a major probe into Eurostat, planned for February 2003, was cancelled at the last minute. |
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| Subject Categories | Economic and Financial Affairs, Politics and International Relations |
