The European Commission yesterday reiterated its support for the actions taken by the director general of its anti-fraud agency (OLAF), Giovanni Kessler, and shot down calls for his resignation.
Mr Kessler has come under fire from MEPs on the way he has carried out his duties, particularly with regard to OLAF’s investigation that resulted in the forced resignation of former European Commissioner John Dalli.
However, the Brussels executive yesterday defended Mr Kessler – a former Italian magistrate – and said there was no justification for his resignation.
It stressed that OLAF was an inde-pendent body and said a report submitted by its supervisory committee did not suggest any wrongdoing by Mr Kessler or his organisation.
Referring to calls for his removal, the Commission said “there are no grounds for such action.”
It said that it would study the annual report in depth and then wanted to discuss it with all stakeholders involved, including the supervisory committee itself, Mr Kessler, the EU Council and the Budgetary Control Committee of the European Parliament.
“The Commission notes the many positive comments in the report on the work of OLAF and the progress made following its recent reorganisation,” the Commission said.
“The Commission notes the willingness of the director general of OLAF and of the supervisory committee to deepen the mechanisms that provide for a fruitful exchange and smooth cooperation in their respective areas of responsibility.”
During a debate within the Budgetary Control Committee last Monday, on the annual report submitted by OLAF’s supervisory committee, many MEPs were strident in their criticism of the way OLAF conducted the investigation into Mr Dalli. It was suggested that the agency may have gone beyond its mandate and possibly broke the law in the manner it obtained information on the former commissioner.
Mr Kessler defended himself, saying he must have read a different report to the MEPs. He insisted the investigation had been conducted above board and urged the Maltese authorities to publish the OLAF report into the probe.
Mr Dalli resigned from his post as Commissioner last October after the anti-fraud agency found what Mr Kessler termed as “unambiguous circumstantial evidence” that Mr Dalli knew his former canvasser, Silvio Zammit, was asking for a €60 million bribe for changes to be made to the EU tobacco directive.
Mr Dalli has always strenuously denied this accusation.
Mr Zammit has been charged in a Maltese court while Mr Dalli is under police investigation.