WRITTEN QUESTION E-1012/04 by Mario Borghezio (NI) to the Commission. Who is trying to block the investigations into fraud in Euroland?.
Date: 2004-04-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Anti-fraud Office, Eurostat, corruption, fraud against the EU, freedom of the press

C 88 E/560

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

The Commission also draws the Honourable Member’s attention to the Declaration issued by the
Presidency on behalf of
the EU concerning the Georgian parliamentary elections. His attention is
particularly drawn to the reference to the preliminary conclusions of the International Election Observation
Mission (IEOM) and the concern the IEOM had over the complete lack of commitment by the authorities
of Adjara to guarantee sufficient conditions for the conduct of a meaningful democratic election in that
region. In this Declaration, the Georgian authorities are also encouraged to work constructively with the
Organisation on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe, to further
democratisation.

The Commission continues to urge the central government in Tbilisi and the authorities in Batumi to work
towards finding a peaceful solution acceptable to all and in the interest of Georgia.

(2004/C 88 E/0571)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1012/04

by Mario Borghezio (NI) to the Commission

(1 April 2004)

Subject: Who is trying to block the investigations into fraud in Euroland?

The blitz by the Belgian police, who raided the offices of Hans Martin Tillack, the Brussels correspondent
of the German weekly Stern and author of a series of investigative articles on the Eurostat scandal and
other delicate issues connected with corruption in the European Union institutions,
is a serious and
unprecedented act, which constitutes a violation of the principle of press freedom.

Does the Commission consider that this police initiative, probably prompted by OLAF and targeting not
those guilty of corruption but someone reporting on corruption, shows that there are people at the highest
levels of the European institutions who fear light being shed by serious investigative journalists on
confidential and ignominious aspects of fraud and corruption in Euroland?

Answer given by Ms Schreyer on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 2004)

On the basis of the information supplied by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), the Commission can
tell the Honourable Member that in February 2004 the Office sent the relevant judicial authorities a file
relating to suspected criminal offences.

Article 10(1) and (2) of Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 (1) provides for information about matters liable to
result in criminal proceedings to be forwarded to the judicial authorities of the Member State concerned.

The national judicial authorities are then fully independent in their handling of the files sent.

(1) Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 May 1999 concerning

investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), OJ L 136, 31.5.1999.

(2004/C 88 E/0572)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1021/04

by Paolo Bartolozzi (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Imported goods in transit held up by customs

(5 April 2004)

Is the Commission aware that goods imported from non-Community countries and in transit from

1.
one EU airport to another are held at customs (for controls) for as much as 30 days?