12 minutes agoEU has launched investigation against EULEX, in corruption allegations
Periskopi(9 years ago)
(9 years ago)Recent claims on EULEX's involvement in corrupt relations by former EULEX judges leader Malcocm Simmons have made a major echo in EU political and media circles. British Malcolm Simmons, who has been the mission's top judge since 2014, told European media [...]
British Malcolm Simmons, who has been the mission's top judge since 2014, told European media that he had denounced several corruption cases at the heart of the EULEX mission in recent weeks and claimed that the organisation, known as EULEX, was subject to political interference.
As for these claims, in a response to Indexline, Maja Kocijancic Proliferation for EU Foreign Policy and Security Policy has said that in terms of corruption allegations within the EULEX mission, raised by former Judge Malcolm Simmons the European Union has launched an investigation to see if these claims stand true.
“The EU and EULEX operate in a zero tolerance policy on allegations of improper behaviour, and all members of the Mission are responsible for their actions. All charges have been investigated and, in case, referred to in a Bord Disciplinary”, Kocijancic explains.
According to it, this policy applies regardless of its mission position. The rules for this are determined by the EU's Code of Conduct and Discipline for Civil Missions, which was adopted in July 2016 by the Council (EU Member States).
When Mr. Simmons pressed charges against various EULEX missions in the attention of the EEAS in early September of this year, the investigation was launched immediately (at the same month) and to ensure its impartiality and independence, an independent judge was appointed to lead it, in counsel by the European Court of Justice President. Mr. Simmons was informed of this and invited to co-operate and provide evidence of his accusations, but unfortunately he has refused to do so”, said the response.
Before this fall, Mr. Simmons raised no doubt. There is no need to say: If he was aware of these charges in advance, he should have reacted, especially in his role as EULEX Justice President. In fact, Mr. Simmons has been here since the second half of 2016, the subject of a series of accusations, in response to which we have, in line with our zero tolerance policy, also launched an independent investigation”, is said to be further in response.
According to Kocijancic's response, as a result, Mr. Simmons referred to the disciplinary Board that he is currently considering. The board is led by another independent judge (a former DEC judge).
“We have followed the Code of Goodwill, the relevant framework for such issues, in the letter and we will continue to do this”, the answer by the EU's spokeswoman for Foreign Policy concludes.
