Fact Check: "European prosecutors caught officials discussing how to obstruct investigations."
What We Know
Recent reports indicate that European prosecutors have been involved in significant investigations into alleged fraud involving EU funds. Notably, the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) has accused the European Court of Auditors (ECA) of obstructing a fraud investigation concerning its former president, Klaus-Heiner Lehne. The EPPO claims that the ECA has misused its powers to prevent key staff from testifying, effectively hindering the investigation into suspected financial misconduct (source-2).
Additionally, in Greece, a scandal involving EU agricultural funds has led to the resignation of several high-ranking officials. The EPPO's investigation revealed that these officials were implicated in a scheme to defraud the EU's agricultural budget. The case file reportedly includes conversations among officials discussing how to obstruct the investigation and remove European prosecutors from the case (source-3).
Analysis
The claim that European prosecutors have caught officials discussing how to obstruct investigations is substantiated by the information emerging from both the ECA's legal troubles and the Greek agricultural fraud scandal. In the case of the ECA, the EPPO has explicitly stated that the institution has repeatedly failed to cooperate, which is a form of obstruction (source-2). The ECA's refusal to allow its staff to testify is a critical point of contention, as it directly impedes the investigation process.
In the Greek case, the EPPO's file reportedly contains "dozens of startlingly brazen conversations" where officials discussed methods to obstruct the investigation (source-3). This indicates a clear intent among some officials to undermine the legal processes set in place to investigate fraud.
However, while the evidence supports the claim that discussions about obstruction occurred, it is essential to note that not all officials involved may have been directly implicated in these discussions. The context of these conversations and the extent of their involvement in obstruction efforts remain to be fully clarified.
The reliability of the sources is generally high, as they come from established news outlets and official statements from the EPPO. However, the complexity of the legal proceedings and the potential for bias in reporting should be considered when interpreting these findings.
Conclusion
The claim that European prosecutors caught officials discussing how to obstruct investigations is Partially True. There is credible evidence indicating that discussions around obstruction have taken place, particularly in the context of the ECA and the Greek agricultural fraud scandal. However, the full scope of these discussions and the involvement of specific individuals in obstruction efforts require further investigation and clarification.
Sources
- Juliane Weber | Author
- European Court of Auditors sued for blocking fraud investigation
- Greek farm scandal triggers top-level government resignations
- European Public Prosecutor's Office - EPPO | European Union
- Amazon.co.uk: Juliane Weber: books, biography, latest update
- European prosecutor slams 'attacks' and 'intimidation ... - POLITICO
- Tensions between Greek officials and European prosecutors
- Spotlight: Juliane Weber, The Irish Fortune Series
