Press Release

09/12/2008

Van Buitenen-Dossier on OLAF reveals nothing new. Inge Gräßle MEP

The recent press conference of the Green MEP Paul van Buitenen on the European Anti-Fraud-Office (OLAF) has revealed nothing new: "The dossier presented by Mr. van Buitenen is a mere remake of old and unfounded allegations on facts which have been repeatedly clarified and rectified. The only new thing is that now this entire story becomes honestly boring”, said Inge Gräßle, rapporteur on the OLAF reform and EPP-ED-Coordinator in the European Parliament's Budgetary Control Committee today in Brussels.

“Mr. van Buitenen is obviously looking for an issue for his electoral campaign and he thinks that he can be re-elected by accusing everybody, only to be in the spotlight until the next Parliamentary elections”, criticized Inge Gräßle. “The only problem is that his accusations are not valid anymore. You cannot do nothing for four years and suddenly show up with 'confidential information' and quite irrational suppositions to impress electors that should be taken seriously and have to be respected like colleagues, too”, she continued.

Van Buitenen claims to have highlighted serious problems within OLAF and accuses his colleagues in the European Parliament, the Commission and many others not to have taken into account the seriousness of the misconduct within OLAF that he believes to have discovered. “In the Committee we have worked intensively since March 2008 on the OLAF regulatory framework. We analyzed the problems of OLAF, drafted nine working documents and found legal as well as practical solutions”, the German MEP pointed out. Inge Gräßle, as rapporteur for OLAF reform, drafted a report to amend the OLAF regulation. “It was a big and difficult dossier. I offered my colleagues from all political groups, including Mr. van Buitenen, to cooperate in the widest and most transparent way. He refused this invitation”.

The report was adopted by Parliament on 20th November 2008 by almost unanimity, thus confirming the quality of the work done in Committee. “92 amendments have been tabled, including some compromise amendments, but not a single one from Mr. van Buitenen. In the last years, he was not interested in the concrete work of OLAF. He was never present to discuss the report and the results of the fight against fraud in the Budgetary Control Committee. He did not even support major reform projects in the plenary such as the exclusion of family members from serving as MEP assistants", concluded Inge Gräßle.

For further information:
Inge Gräßle MEP, Tel: +32-2-2847868
Knut Goelz, EPP-ED Press Service, Tel: +32-479-972144

Notes to Editors:
The EPP-ED Group is the largest political group in the European Parliament with 288 Members from all 27 Member States.