German MEP Ingeborg Graessle. Photo: European ParliamentA German MEP has fielded a series of questions to the European Commission and its anti-fraud agency to shed more light on John Dalli’s trips to the Bahamas while he was still EU Commissioner.
Ingeborg Graessle, a member of the European People’s Party, was an outspoken critic of the way the Dalli case, which led to Mr Dalli’s resignation as European Commissioner, was handled by OLAF.
However, the MEP told The Sunday Times of Malta: “I have already asked the Commission to shed more light on the Bahamas trips.”
Mr Dalli’s trip to Bahamas in summer 2012 came to light some weeks ago following an investigation by the International Herald Tribune.
The newspaper reported that the former EU Commissioner made the undeclared trips when he was still in office at the height of the OLAF investigation to facilitate a transfer of an alleged $100 million, on behalf of an unnamed “African charity” he was helping to set up. Mr Dalli has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
While admitting that he visited the Bahamas more than once when he was a Commissioner, Mr Dalli said this was a private trip and that his staff had been informed.
Mr Dalli maintained he did not feel the need to inform the Commission about his trips to the Bahamas.
According to the Commission’s code of ethics, commissioners are precluded from doing any work when in office, even of a voluntary nature.
Ms Graessle said she wanted to know when the Commission got to know about the trips, what were their purpose and whether this information was given to OLAF.
Following these revelations, the Commission said OLAF launched a new investigation.
Asked whether she would continue with her criticism, in view of the recent revelations on Mr Dalli’s trips to the Bahamas and the declarations made by former Police Commissioner John Rizzo that there was enough evidence to prosecute the former Commissioner, Ms Graessle said she was interested in knowing more about the Bahamas affairs.
She told The Sunday Times of Malta she did not criticise the EU’s anti-fraud office to defend any potential wrongdoing but to make sure that the rules in such investigations are observed.
“Legally, the end does not justify the means,” she said.
“It is the duty of Mr Dalli’s lawyers to defend him. My role as an MEP and rapporteur on OLAF is to care about procedure. The approach by OLAF was not at all in order. We have seen severe breaches of the rights of the people concerned in this investigation,” she said.
After Mr Dalli was forced to quit from the EU Commission a year ago, Ms Graessle repeatedly called for the resignation of OLAF’s Director General Giovanni Kessler over the way he handled Mr Dalli’s investigation.
Both the Commission and Mr Kessler have denied any wrongdoing.