WRITTEN QUESTION E-1694/99 by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Council. EU coordinator Hombach.
Date: 1999-09-30
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Western Balkans, diplomatic representation, political morality, stability pact

C 219 E/16

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

1.8.2000

Before Hombach(cid:146)s appointment, did the President of the European Council, a member of the Council
2.
or a Council representative consult about the accusations concerning the building of Hombach(cid:146)s private
house? If so, what was the outcome?

Is the Council aware that on 13 August 1999, as anticipated, the 12th criminal division of Bochum
3.
Regional Court (Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany) convicted Hombach(cid:146)s former building project manager of
perjury? Is the Council aware that the conviction was based on the fact that the project manager had
initially denied under oath having illegally charged to VEBA AG payments for Hombach(cid:146)s house in
M(cid:252)lheim an der Ruhr, but subsequently admitted that VEBA had paid a (cid:145)six-figure sum(cid:146)
towards
Hombach(cid:146)s construction costs?

4.
In the light of this judgment and of the new code of honour for EU Commissioners, which is
applicable mutatis mutandis, does the Council consider that Hombach can continue to perform his duties
as EU coordinator for the Balkans and remain in office?

(2000/C 219 E/021)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1694/99

by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Council

(30 September 1999)

Subject: EU coordinator Hombach

For weeks, the EU(cid:146)s international coordinator for reconstruction of the Balkans, Bodo Hombach, has been
publicly suspected of involvement in bribery cases with considerable ramifications (relating to his private
house in M(cid:252)lheim and his luxury home in Canada). On 27 August 1999, in response to these serious
allegations, he decided of his own volition to resign from his party posts.

In view of this situation, which still remains very unclear, as well as the utterly incomprehensible plan to
locate his office in Brussels rather than in the immediate vicinity of the region to which his duties pertain,
which will hardly be conducive to efficiency, the following question is surely inescapable: does the Council
to Mr Hombach that he should resign from his highly responsible post as EU
intend to suggest
representative for the democratic and economic reconstruction of the Balkan region?

Under the circumstances, it would moreover be desirable, in the interests of transparency, to announce
publicly what remuneration was promised to Mr Hombach when he took up the post. Will the Council do
so?

(2000/C 219 E/022)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1776/99

by Christoph Konrad (PPE-DE) to the Council

(12 October 1999)

Subject: The (cid:145)CentrO Affair(cid:146) and EU Special Co-ordinator Bodo Hombach

1.
Does the Council know that Mr Bodo Hombach has been accused of neglecting to verify the
allocation of EU monies when he chaired a committee of inquiry in the North Rhine-Westphalia Land
Parliament?

2.
Does the Council also know that, according to a European Court of Auditors audit report, there have
been irregularities in accounting for European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) monies in connection
with the CentrO shopping and leisure centre in Oberhausen (unlawful settling of DEM 60 million in EU
assistance monies) and that this has been examined by the committee of inquiry referred to above?