Insider book sparks new controversy

Date: 14/11/1996

By Rory Watson

THREE years after he was dismissed from his post as a senior European Commission official, Nikolas Alexandrakis has reopened the controversy by launching an uncompromising attack on many of his former colleagues.

The former head of Commission delegations in Liberia, Fiji and Zambia has published a highly-personal and colourful version of the events which led to his downfall in 1993 after 12 years' overseas service.

The former Greek fonctionnaire criticises a number of Commission officials by name, several of whom are still in office. He has also drawn extensively on various confidential memoranda and recounted his experience of in camera disciplinary proceedings in detail.

Alexandrakis denies the sexual harassment charges which led to his dismissal and maintains they were brought against him because he crossed swords with his superiors.

Publication of the 184-page narrative this month will embroil the Commission in another controversy over a book written by one of its employees.

Last year, senior Commission economist Bernard Connolly sparked a furore with his critical assessment of the euro. Although he wrote the book while on personal leave, Connolly failed to get the necessary permission from his superiors for its publication. He was suspended and then dismissed, and is now challenging those decisions in the European Court of Justice.

Initial reactions to Alexandrakis' book The Lost Vision, now circulating in Brussels, suggest his use of confidential information obtained while in office may violate Article 17 of the Union's staff regulation.

This states that officials are not allowed to divulge in any form whatsoever to an outside party any document or item of information which had not been made public, even after they have left the Commission's service.