“The EPP Group prides itself in extending its full cooperation” to legal authorities, a spokesperson for Weber and the EPP groups said in a statement to POLITICO said, adding that no external auditors “currently have any open cases of alleged misuse of funds.”
Layered inquiry
EPPO is in charge of investigating serious crimes affecting the financial interests of the European Union and liaises with national law enforcement for its investigations.
Asked about the EPP investigation, a spokesperson for EPPO, which usually does not comment on ongoing cases, said: “We have an ongoing investigation into allegations of misuse of EU funds committed in Belgium by members of a political group of the European Parliament. However, at this stage, this investigation is merely into facts and there are no suspects. Whenever we can say something about any of our investigations, we will do so proactively.”
Asked about the EPP case, the spokesperson from the Belgian Prosecutor’s office declined to elaborate.
“The investigation is being led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and therefore I cannot comment on the case,” said Eric Van Der Sypt, the spokesperson from the Belgian Prosecutor’s office.
Last year, Belgian and German police raided the Brussels headquarters of EPP as part of an investigation into a suspicion of bribery in business dealings during the 2019 elections. The investigation was led by the German anti-corruption authority but was dismissed as “baseless” by the EPP. There is no evidence that the EPPO investigation is related to this.
The investigation comes as Weber is being challenged by internal dissenters over his management of the party, which he is set to reform in the coming months, and as he shakes up the organization of the parliamentary group by installing a new secretary general.
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