Kallas and Co to face tough questioning

By Martin Banks

Date: 02/09/04

ESTONIA'S controversial nominee to the European Commission faces tough questioning about alleged past financial irregularities when he appears before MEPs at confirmation hearings in the European Parliament later this month.

Siim Kallas, a former Estonian prime minister, will be asked about allegations that he misappropriated the equivalent of €8 million while he was governor of the Bank of Estonia in 1991-95

Although he was exonerated by a court in 2000, the claims will resurface when Kallas, commissioner-designate for administrative affairs, audit and anti-fraud, appears before members of the Parliament's budgetary control committee at the end of the month

Committee Chairman, Hungarian Socialist MEP Szabolcs Fazakas, said: "We shall be asking him about several things, including these allegations

"We have a responsibility for the EU's financial affairs and, given the fact that we will have to work with the commissioner to combat fraud and corruption, I think it is quite appropriate we speak to him about this matter.

"I regard it as very important."

Austria's outgoing foreign minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner can expect to be quizzed about the allocation and control of EU funds in the Palestinian territories when she appears before the foreign affairs committee.

The EU is one of the principle sources of foreign aid for the Palestinian territories and, since the establishment of the Palestinian Authority in 1994, has invested some €3.47 billion in Palestinian infrastructure and projects

Foreign affairs committee deputy chairman, UK Conservative MEP Geoffrey van Orden, said he expects the committee to question Ferrero-Waldner, the nominee external relations commissioner, about funding to the Palestine Authority

Van Orden commented: "There is some concern that the money is being handed out for sometimes dubious things without proper control and with uncertainty as to where it is going

"Her [Ferrero-Waldner's] predecessor, Chris Patten, seemed to take criticism of such things very personally but this is an opportunity for a new commissioner to come in and sort this out."

While acknowledging that the Austrian "seems to have all the right credentials", van Orden said the committee "will want to know what she proposes to do to ensure that European Union money under her responsibility, including such funds, will be rigorously controlled"

The new internal market and consumer protection committee may question up to three commissioners, including Charlie McCreevy, commissioner-nominee for the internal market

The committee's chairman, UK Socialist deputy Philip Whitehead, says McCreevy is likely to be questioned on whether the European Commission intends to extend to services the same single-market functions already established for goods

The Irishman will also be asked what action he proposes to help reduce the burden of regulation on the business community

Whitehead says the hearings will be "the first big test for this new committee".

"Indeed, the whole Parliament is on trial - it has got to prove it can handle these invigilations in a way which will establish the competence of the commissioner-designates. MEPs want to establish whether the prospective commissioners' hearts are in their jobs."

All 25 commissioners will appear before hearings from 27 September- 7 October. Prior to the session, each commissioner-designate will have to respond to a written questionnaire

Parliament, however, can only veto the whole Commission team and not individual commissioners. MEPs will vote on the entire Barroso Commission at their Strasbourg plenary on 25-28 October.

The designated members of the Barroso Commission have to face individual hearings on their competence and appropriateness at the European Parliament from 27 September to 7 October 2004.

European Parliament: Activities: Hearings: Investiture Procedure of the 2004-2009 Commission - Hearings of the Commissioners designate http://europarl.europa.eu/hearings/commission/2004_comm/default_en.htm

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