The European Union prosecutor’s business office has released an investigation into the bloc’s procurement of billions of Covid-19 vaccine doses, amid allegations of corruption and mystery backroom dealings from many customers of the EU parliament.
EU officers announced the probe in a brief assertion on Friday, confirming an “ongoing investigation into the acquisition of Covid-19 vaccines in the European Union.” They extra that the circumstance follows “extremely substantial community interest” around the challenge, nevertheless declined to share any other details.
Though prosecutors have been limited-lipped about the exact nature of the probe, the announcement follows allegations from MEPs that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen carried out vaccine negotiations with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla in top secret. Even with requests from journalists, lawmakers and an EU watchdog, von der Leyen’s business office has unsuccessful to deliver personalized text messages despatched to Bourla in the course of talks for almost 2 billion vaccine doses, prompting accusations of corruption.
Croatian MEP Mislav Kolakusic noted the new investigation afterwards on Friday, saying the decision was made many thanks to pressure from lawmakers. However he was not able to get rid of supplemental gentle on the probe, Kolakusic has been really essential of the EU’s vaccine procurement process, claiming discounts for billions of doses ended up marred by “corruption” and secrecy.
Final thirty day period, the European Court docket of Auditors said it had requested the commission to deliver details on “preliminary negotiations” for the EU’s largest Pfizer buy – including “scientific specialists consulted and advice obtained, timing of the talks, information of the discussions, and particulars of the agreed phrases and conditions” – but extra that “none was forthcoming.” The European Fee still has yet to make the data public, fueling corruption allegations from MEPs. Supply: RT
The purchase of 4.5 billion doses of the covid-19 vaccine for 450 million EU 🇪🇺 citizens is the largest CORRUPTION SCANDAL in the historical past of mankind. pic.twitter.com/pCBWJMhwhr
— Mislav Kolakusic MEP 🇭🇷🇪🇺 (@mislavkolakusic) October 12, 2022
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