Brussels, 20/05/2005 (Agence Europe) - The European Ombudsman, P. Nikiforos Diamandouros, has sent a special report to the European Parliament concerning statements that the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) made in the context of an inquiry he carried out in a case involving a journalist for the German weekly magazine 'Stern', Hans-Martin Tillack. The European Ombudsman urges the EP to remind OLAF of its duties of transparency and avoiding incorrect statements in its dealings with the European Ombudsman. Nikiforos Diamandouros writes: 'Citizens should be able to have confidence in the accuracy and completeness of the Ombudsman's inquiries,' adding: 'If an institution or body has provided inaccurate and misleading information to the Ombudsman, therefore, it should be prepared publicly to acknowledge that fact in order to set the record straight. In the present case, OLAF has refused a draft recommendation from the Ombudsman that it should acknowledge that it made incorrect and misleading statements in its submissions to the Ombudsman.'
In a complaint to the Ombudsman, the German journalist complained about a press release reporting rumours that Mr Tillack had paid for confidential OLAF information. Mr Tillack also wanted to access information held by OLAF about himself. Following intervention by the Ombudsman, OLAF said it did not have any personal information about the journalist and was vague in its statements about the press release in question. The journalist was subsequently able to prove that OLAF did indeed hold personal information about him and that some of OLAF's responses were liable 'to mislead the European Ombudsman and to manipulate the inquiry.' OLAF refused to accept this when the Ombudsman intervened a second time, (The special report concerning this case can be found on the Ombudsman's website at: http: //http://www.euro-ombudsman.eu.int/special/en/default.htm .)