| Author (Person) | King, Tim, Schwartz, Ari |
|---|---|
| Series Title | European Voice |
| Series Details | Vol.11, No.27, 14.7.05 |
| Publication Date | 14/07/2005 |
| Content Type | News |
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By Tim King and Ari Schwartz Date: 14/07/05 The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) fought back against a barrage of criticism levelled at it during a hearing at the European Parliament this week (12-13 July). Franz-Hermann Brüner, the director-general of OLAF, accused MEPs of acting in a manner reminiscent of the old East Germany. He was incensed by references made by Austrian MEP Hans-Peter Martin to a draft report from the Parliament's petitions committee. He told MEPs it reminded him of his days as a public prosecutor investigating the work of the East German regime, which had arrived at its judgements before carrying out any investigations. Brüner had already come under fire during the hearing, which was organised by the committee for budgetary control to discuss the future of OLAF. The European Court of Auditors presented a report which said of OLAF that "all too frequently, the preparation and follow-up of investigations is rudimentary". The court said that managerial supervision of investigations "remained inadequate", which led to serious delays in the processing of files, inconclusive reports and results that were difficult to identify. The court also criticised the lack of an independent guarantee of the legality of investigative procedures in progress and inadequate safeguards for the rights of people under investigations. Brüner made a defiant defence of OLAF, saying that since it took over from the discredited UCLAF it had not lost a court case. Siim Kallas, the anti-fraud commissioner, recommended changes to the relationship between OLAF and its supervisory committee. The Court of Auditors described relations between OLAF and the committee as "difficult". Edmondo Bruti-Liberati, chairman of the supervisory committee, said that conflict between the two was inevitable but did not mean that co-operation was impossible. Various speakers called for clearer procedural rules on the treatment of witnesses and those under investigation. Several references were made to the case of Hans-Martin Tillack, the journalist from Stern magazine who was arrested by the Belgian authorities on the basis of a file from OLAF. The petitions committee had to call off a hearing scheduled for today (14 July) which would have touched on the Tillack case. The committee is preparing a report on the work of the European Ombudsman and was attempting to hold a discussion today between those involved in a dispute between the ombudsman and OLAF. Article reports on a hearing at the European Parliament's Committee on Budgetary Control, 12-13 July 2005, on the Revision of the Regulation on the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF). The European Court of Auditors had published a very critical report on the preparation and follow-up of investigations as well as managerial supervision of investigations at OLAF. |
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| Subject Categories | Economic and Financial Affairs |
