Question of the week

Date: 26/02/04

For the first in a new series, in which European Voice will put a topical question to an influential figure, we chose 'whistleblower' Paul van Buitenen.

PAUL van Buitenen, the official who sparked the resignation en masse of the Santer Commission in 1999, will seek to become a Dutch MEP in June, as head of newly formed party 'Europa Transparent'.

We asked him:

• 'Why are you contesting the election?'

Van Buitenen: We are a one-issue party, on purpose. We will not be dealing with a lot of political issues, just focusing on transparency, democratic accountability and the fight against fraud and irregularities.

The turnout for European elections in the Netherlands is traditionally low. I think it was 29% last time [in 1999], compared with 80% for the national elections. We hope to raise interest in the elections. If I only manage to get 5-10% more of a turnout, then that will be positive.

I would be happy with three seats. But it would be very nice if we manage to get six seats.

"We are planning to run 15 candidates. But the only two that are really fixed so far are myself and Marta Andreasen [the former accounting officer in the Commission, removed from her post, after complaining that the institutions bookkeeping system is vulnerable to fraud].

In a new series, European Voice asks 'whistleblower' Paul van Buitenen why he has set up a new party, 'Europa Transparent', and is entering the forthcoming European Parliament elections in the Netherlands.