Brussels, 06/11/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 5 November, the chair of the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee, Elmar Brok (EPP, Germany), and the rapporteur on Kosovo, Ulrike Lunacek (Greens, Austria), called on High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini for details on the allegations of corruption in the EULEX Kosovo mission (see EUROPE 11188).
The MEPs sent this request to Mogherini following an exchange of views in the Parliament's foreign affairs committee with the civil operations commander and the director for Western Europe and the Balkans, which was held behind closed doors on 31 October. In their letter, the MEPs stated that “many question still remain unanswered” and that they should “receive a fast response”. These questions focus inter alia on the moment when the EULEX mission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) got wind of the allegations of corruption, on the investigation currently under way, on the measures which can be taken so that this situation is not be repeated, and on the allegations of threats against the journalist who uncovered the affair. “We ask you to bring clarification and transparency (…) and to ensure that the allegation are studied quickly and transparently, in an impartial way, keeping the Parliament involved”, the MEPs stated (our translation).
Lunacek and Brok also hailed Mogherini's appointment of an independent legal expert to examine the corruption allegations. Supporting the work of this expert and of the new head of the EULEX mission, Lunacek and Brok hoped that they would receive information quickly and see concrete progress.
The Parliament will examine the different methods of parliamentary inquiry, including setting up a committee of inquiry, after having received Mogherini's response, the Parliament's foreign affairs committee states in a press release. (CG)