By V4 Agency
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office was allocated tens of millions of euros in financing by this year’s EU budget. However, V4NA has learnt that the office is not even operational.
On Wednesday, V4NA sent a written inquiry to the European Public Prosecutors Office (EPPO). We wanted to know whether they are conducting any investigation with regard to Brussels’ vaccine procurement contracts, as the relevant EU bodies appear unwilling to disclose the documents.
EPPO’s response reveals that they are not conducting any investigations, because the office is not operational yet.
“The EPPO is not operational yet, so we are not conducting any investigations”, they wrote, adding that we should try to reach the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) with our inquiry.
The reply forwarded by European Public Prosecutor’s Office highlights the fact that the organisation financed by European taxpayers’ money is not even operational.
The regulation establishing the EPPO entered into force on 20 November 2017. EPPO’s website states that the office cannot commence ts activities sooner than November 2020. As V4NA has learnt, it is still not up and running and its start date will be determined by the European Commission based on the recommendation of Europe’s chief prosecutor.
In October 2019 the Council agreed to appoint Laura Codruta Kovesi, a Romanian national linked to George Soros, to be the first European chief prosecutor. Ms Kovesi’s appointment was confirmed by the European Parliament a few days later.
Last July the Council the also appointed the Europan prosecutors, who will supervise investigations and prosecutions and constitute the EPPO College – together with the Chief prosecutor – for a non-renewable term of 6 years. As part of the transitional rules for the first mandate, the European prosecutors from Greece, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Austria and Portugal – determined by drawing lots – will hold a 3-year non-renewable mandate.
Last December the European Parliament approved the EU’s multiannual 2021-27 budget, as well as its general budget fr the financial year 2021. This shows that EPPO’s budget was raised by €7,3 million to €44,9 million, primarily to iallow for an ncrease in the internal headcount.
V4NA has also contacted OLAF with regard to the vaccine procurements. OLAF did NOT deny that there is an ongoing investigation in the case of vaccine procurements.
