Brussels, 30/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament (EP) does not intend to damn the work of the troika (European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund), says Othmar Karas (EPP, Germany), who will head the European Parliament's investigation into the troika's activities in eurozone countries in receipt of aid, like Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Cyprus (see EUROPE 10953). “This is going to be an evaluation, not a condemnation. (…) The aim is a constructive proposal to increase transparency, democratic legitimacy and Parliament's scrutiny”, Karas said. The troika negotiates aid programmes on behalf of the eurozone and the IMF and is often described by MEPs as a dark force. Karas commented: “The problem with the troika is that it is basically an interim solution, because it is an instrument of collaboration of the donor countries outside EU structures. The troika needs to become a Community instrument which is accountable to the European Parliament. The way the emissaries of the donors impose reform and austerity measures is unclear so far. It can't happen that all decisions are taken by civil servants only”. In June 2013, an IMF report criticising management of the first Greek bailout set the cat amongst the pigeons. The Commission pointed out that the troika had started from scratch in an emergency situation and had had to deal with different traditions and practices in each of the three institutions (see EUROPE 19861). The EP's economic and monetary affairs committee will start the investigation on 5 November and finish it before the European elections in May 2014. (EL/transl.fl)