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  • Newspaper library.The European Parliament investigates three MEPs for accepting bribes

United Left and Golden Dawn , the Greek fascist party, violated the rules of the European Parliament and irregularly used more than 1.2 million euros of the salaries of deputies and assistants in Brussels and Strasbourg between 2014 and 2019 to finance their national formations .

This has been certified by Olaf , the Anti-Fraud Office of the European Union , in two investigations initiated in the years 2017 and 2018 and closed this quarter of 2020. This office does not reveal the nationality or the identity of the parties, the deputies or the Investigated employees, but parliamentary sources clearly identify both formations.

The Spanish formation has explained to this newspaper that "that investigation concluded at the beginning of this year without any sanction and without any irregularity being communicated to us", and that they "are proud" of their financial letter, which is the tool in the IU statutes that set a salary ceiling for all public positions and hired workers.

The situation denounced by OlafF is not strange. It has happened on other occasions, such as with the leader of the National Front , Marine Le Pen , when she was in Brussels and Strasbourg, and that she had to return 300,000 euros badly used.

Expenses without justification

MEPs receive a high monthly salary, but they also have a significant amount for expenses that do not need justification. And additionally, a generous endowment to hire a team in Brussels and at the politician's place of origin, for his national office.

The European Parliament, however, does not allow an elected member to surrender his salary, in whole or in part, as he believes that this would jeopardize his independence.

The opening of the file dates back to the middle of the last legislature, when Olaf received the complaint that some MEPs were irregularly transferring "part of their salaries to the coffers of their parties" and even that "they were raising the salaries of their assistants to that they could make additional contributions. "

The accusations are common, but it has now been proven that the two formations have not taken into account the statute for deputies approved by the Council of the EU and by the House itself, which considers the agreements to transfer wages to parties as null and void and nonexistent.

United Left: 640,000 euros

In the first investigation, the one involving Izquierda Unida, the deputies and employees of the delegation paid up to 640,000 euros over that five-year period in contributions to their headquarters. "Olaf's investigation has established that the payments were not spontaneous, but to fulfill the obligations established in the financial letter that the party had established specifically for the Eurochamber team," the document explains, describing what on the other hand never it was a secret.

The Anti-Fraud Office also concludes, and regrets, that the European Chamber does not have an effective way of allowing the recovery of these amounts. "The Olaf announced that it was opening an investigation to our four MEPs last term. That investigation concluded earlier this year, without any sanction and without any irregularity being reported to us," they explain from the Organization and Finance Secretariat. from IU.

"Olaf did inform us that he would make a series of recommendations to the European Parliament. This investigation was related to our financial charter, which is the tool in the IU statutes that establishes a salary ceiling for all public positions and hired workers," they continue. the same sources.

"According to that financial letter, all the money that exceeds the maximum, is transferred to the organization to continue with its political work. We are proud that our public officials contribute in this way. That money is declared to the Court of Accounts , it quotes in Spain and is audited every year, without any irregularity having been detected. We publish donations on the web, as required by Spanish legislation, "they explain.

Golden Dawn: 540,000 euros

The second similar investigation has determined that some Greek MEPs paid up to 4,000 euros a month to their training, adding more than 540,000 euros during the legislature. Taking advantage of a gap in the parliamentary rules that prohibit, but at the same time do not contemplate, any mechanism of sanction or recovery of money.

In this case it has been proven that the assistants also had to give part of their salaries. "Although there is no evidence that the deputies forced their staff to do so, they were fully aware of what was happening, and in fact encouraged them to be classified at a higher level and higher salary to allow [higher] contributions to national formations" .

In his statement, Olaf explains that the investigation ended in January and February of this year, and his recommendation to the institution is a change in the regulation that avoids impunity. Furthermore, it recommends that Parliament ensure that "the amounts transferred by the assistants are recovered, since the deputies were aware that there was an improper use of the available endowments."

The affected Spaniards

The Anti-Fraud Office calls for disciplinary measures for the assistants involved, "for following the instructions of their parties, despite the fact that they might conflict with their contractual obligations to the European Parliament."

The case affects the Spanish IU delegation between 2014 and 2019, which was made up of Marina Albiol , Paloma López , Ángela Vallina and Javier Couso , and who had enormous problems during the five years, with complaints of workplace harassment, constant complaints from Madrid and Madrid.

It was an internal civil war for power, taking advantage of Albiol's maternity leave and that ended up ending without any of the four repeating candidacy for the 2019 European elections.

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