The European Parliament has called for full transparency in the John Dalli case, demanding clarity on the circumstances that led to his resignation last year.
The call, piloted by Inge Gräßle, the European Popular Party’s coordinator in the Budgetary Control Committee, was backed by a majority of MEPs but not the Socialists.
The European Parliament noted that OLAF, the EU anti-fraud office, was in breach of fundamental rights during its investigation of Mr Dalli, according to information from the OLAF supervisory committee.
Ms Gräßle said she regretted the Socialist MEPs’ decision. “They obviously do not want to clarify the fundamental rights breaches by OLAF.”
She said covering up the fundamental rights breaches criticised by OLAF’s own supervisory committee meant “disregarding EU law and deriding European values”.
MEPs were very concerned about the way the investigation was conducted by OLAF and noted that attempts were made to obscure clarification of the allegations made against it. Ms Gräßle reiterated her demand for the resignation of OLAF Director-General Giovanni Kessler, who led the investigation.
Dr Kessler is best known for the press conference he gave in Brussels a day after Mr Dalli was forced to resign during which he spoke of “unambiguous circumstantial evidence” that implicated the former European Commissioner.
The OLAF investigation that was passed on to the Maltese investigative authorities led to the arraignment in Malta of Mr Dalli’s former canvasser and restaurateur Silvio Zammit, who was accused of trading in influence and bribery. The case revolves around the EU ban on Swedish snus, an oral form of tobacco. According to court testimony Mr Zammit solicited a bribe from a leading Swedish snus company in exchange for influencing Mr Dalli to lift the ban.
“The OLAF boss must draw the consequences and resign. If he clings on to his post, he will be damaging the credibility of all EU institutions,” Ms Gräßle said.
She said 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.”