Belgian branch of European Public Prosecutor investigates a dozen MEPs
The Belgian branch of the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) is investigating around 10 current and former members of the European Parliament on suspicion of fraud. Le Soir reported this on Monday, citing the agency's latest report.
The allegations concern the salaries and attendance allowances of parliamentary assistants. Among those under investigation are Greek MEP Eva Kaili and Belgians Hilde Vautmans of Open VLD and Tom Vandendriessche of Vlaams Belang.
The report also highlights a general increase in fraud cases, with the Belgian office doubling its investigations to 30 new cases in 2024, bringing the total number of ongoing investigations to 79. The financial impact of these cases is estimated at 1.47 billion euros across Belgium, with organised crime and VAT fraud playing a significant role.
Pfizergate
EPPO's Belgian branch is also leading the high-profile Pfizergate investigation into the EU's purchase of Covid-19 vaccines, one of the agency's top priorities for 2025.
The agency criticises the EU institutions for failing to report fraud adequately. In 2024, only 1 per cent of reports came from the European Anti-Fraud Office, while most came from the private sector and national authorities.
The Belgian EPPO is calling for more resources and specialised investigators to deal effectively with these complex cases.
© PHOTO JOHN THYS / AFP
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