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The Brussels Prosecution Service yesterday
announced a major operation in close cooperation
with the French, Italian and Luxembourg
authorities and the European Anti-Fraud
Office (OLAF). The operation involved police
and OLAF investigators. The operation had
its origins in the transmission of information
to the Belgian authorities by OLAF, and
there followed months of detailed investigations
in close cooperation with the Belgian and
Italian (Potenza Prosecutor Office) judicial
and police authorities (Belgian Federal
Police and Italian Carabinieri).
The Brussels Prosecution
Service [Mr Jos Colpin, First Substitute
for the Royal Prosecutor - Spokesman for
the Brussels Prosecution Service, tel. +32(0)25087440,
fax: +32(0)25190822] announced yesterday
that, following a complaint received by
the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), an
investigation overseen by Ms Berta Bernardo-Mendez,
Examining Magistrate in Brussels, and conducted
by the Central Corruption Office (OCRC)
of the Belgian Federal Police, had brought
to light suspicions of corruption, the manipulation
of tender procedures and fraud in the context
of the leasing and procurement of EC delegation
buildings and their security installations
in countries outside the EU.
The main persons under suspicion at this
stage are one European Commission official,
one assistant of a Member of the European
Parliament and the manager of a private
company.
According to the press
release published by the Belgian judicial
authorities, witnesses were questioned.
Searches were mainly conducted on the premises
of the European Commission, the European
Parliament (in the office of the assistant
of the MEP) and of several private residences
and companies. A large volume of documents
and computer files was seized by the Belgian
and Italian judicial authorities.
The Brussels Prosecution Service has today
announced in a press briefing that 3 arrests
have been made in Belgium under warrants
issued by the Examining Magistrate. The
main offences alleged by the Belgian judicial
authorities are, at the current stage of
proceedings, corruption of an international
civil servant, violation of professional
secrecy and criminal conspiracy.
It is difficult at this
stage to assess the possible financial impact
on the EU budget as the services due under
the various contracts have been delivered,
even though it is suspected that contracts
may have been awarded in an irregular manner.
The OLAF internal investigation
started in 2004, when a complaint was received
from an unsuccessful bidder in a tender
procedure.
OLAF confirms that it has received excellent
cooperation from both the European institutions
and the national authorities involved.
Given the necessary respect for the confidentiality
of ongoing investigations, together with
the legitimate rights of the persons concerned,
and the presumption of innocence, OLAF shall
not comment any further at this point in
time.
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