The European Popular Party's Coordinator in the Budgetary Control Committee, Inge Gräßle, has hit out at Socialist MEPs who today voted against a call for full transparency in the John Dalli case and clarification of the circumstances leading to his resignation from the European Commission.

The call was still backed by a majority of MEPs.

The European Parliament noted that OLAF (the EU anti-fraud office), according to information from the OLAF supervisory committee, was in breach of fundamental rights during its investigation.

"MEPs were very concerned about the way the investigation was conducted by OLAF, and noted that attempts had been made to obscure clarification of the allegations made against OLAF," Gräßle said.

She reiterated her demand for the resignation of OLAF Director-General Kessler:

"The OLAF boss Kessler must draw the consequences and resign. If he clings on to his post, he will be damaging the credibility of all EU Institutions."

Gräßle called on European Parliament President Martin Schulz (S&D Group), and the other Members of the Socialist S&D Group, which today voted against the demand for a full clarification of the allegations, to help bring out the truth.

"The European Parliament President Martin Schulz must give all relevant documents relating to the Dalli case to the Budgetary Control Committee. Every page must be made available."

"I regret that Europe's Socialists and Social Democrats obviously do not want to clarify the fundamental rights breaches by OLAF. Covering up the fundamental rights breaches criticised by OLAF's own supervisory committee however means disregarding EU law and deriding European values", Gräßle concluded.