26/01/2005: OLAF - Great concern for its future. Lorenzo Cesa MEP

Mr Lorenzo CESA (MEP), Vice-President of the EPP-ED Group and full member of the budget control committee, has expressed his great concern for the future of OLAF and for the effective independence of this investigative service of the European Union.

According to the Vice-President of the EPP-ED Group at the European Parliament, "there are too many things that are not clear regarding the external management of OLAF and I want to dig out this issue". For this reason, last Friday (21 January), Mr CESA tabled a new priority written question to Commissioner Siim Kallas, in what Mr CESA considers is only the beginning of his political battle. The Italian MEP takes comfort in knowing that he is only fulfilling his duty as elected representative of the people and as convinced Europhile, and also in recognizing that his concerns seem to be shared also by other MEPs belonging to different political groups.

Mr. CESA, who last October had already expressed his worry for the functioning and the composition of the Secretariat of the Supervisory Committee of OLAF, as well as for the real motives that lead to Luxembourg being its chosen seat ( ), has declared that he is particularly alarmed by the attempt of a network of people to leave OLAF, starting on the ending date (1 March) of the first mandate of the current Director General, the German magistrate Mr Brüner, in an extremely dangerous power gap (similarly to what happened at Europol). "What will be the fate of some very delicate inquiries of OLAF that are currently under way?", the MEP asked. "During these times, the idea of leaving an investigative service such as OLAF to an ad interim direction for several months is equivalent to entrusting a fully equipped nuclear weapon combat airplane that is just taking off, to an automatic pilot", continued the Italian MEP. Mr CESA concluded by asking which "control tower" would effectively continue to guide it?

"The legal defence and protection of EU financial interests is too important an issue for the vital interests of all citizens to be the patrimony of only one interest group." - Mr CESA declared - "I am, thus, ready to continue my battle together with all those who, regardless of their political affiliation, are interested in preventing OLAF from beeing transformed into a personal, and extremely dangerous, tool for the realization of personal interests, political or administrative careers. OLAF must always be, and remain, the effective and impartial tool for the defence of the legal and financial interests in the EU".

For further information please contact:
The Office Lorenzo CESA MEP - +32 2 2845418
lcesa@europarl.eu.int