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The lobby scandal revealed by the British daily Sunday Times involving three MEPs including Romanian Adrian Severin
Journalist Jonathan Calver talked in an online conversation on the Sunday Times website about the investigation in which Romanian MEP Adrian Severin offered to support an amendment to a European directive in exchange of a sum of money. “We contacted a series of MEPs, pretending to be lobbyists working for clients willing to pay politicians to influence laws during adoption procedures. Three MEPs, experienced politicians who held important positions in their countries forwarded amendments to the financial legislation based on the agreement that they will be paid for their service. All amendments were in the benefit of the businesses and not in the favor of consumers.”
The journalist said that the whole investigation started after receiving some tips and that the three MEPs were taped in various locations during meetings with presumed lobbyists. “We have hours of recordings proving that they are willing to receive money to modify the legislation. Our intention was to have a better EP with stricter rules and a better system to monitor MEPs. Rules are vague and there is no watchdog maintaining standards and sanctions are pathetic. Nobody is really suspended.”
European Parliament started an investigation against the three MEPs accused of corruption
The European Parliament decided to launch an investigation following the information in the daily British Sunday Times revealing that three MEPs including Romanian Adrian Severin declared willing to “sell their services” in exchange of up to 100,000 euroyear to some undercover journalists pretending to be lobbyists. The accusations are serious, and the European Parliament takes them seriously, a EP spokesperson declared for AFP. British daily The Sunday Times published an article accusing three MEPs, including Romanian Adrian Severin who were willing to submit certain amendments in the EP for important sums of money.
Adrian Severin suspended himself from the Social Democratic Party management until the situation will be clarified
Social Democratic President Victor Ponta announced on Monday morning that Adrian Severin’s situation will be discussed in the party following investigation following the information in the daily British Sunday Times revealing that three MEPs including Romanian Adrian Severin declared willing to “sell their services” in exchange of up to 100,000 euroyear to some undercover journalists pretending to be lobbyists.
Adrian Severin announced on Monday that he suspends himself from managerial positions in the Social Democratic Party until his situation in the EP is cleared, Romanian news agency Agerpres reads. I hope that an investigation in the EP will be launched as soon as possible, to clarify all things. And because the party has no connection and cannot investigate these things, I proposed to withdraw from member of the National Permanent Office until the situation will be cleared. He said that the party showed their trust and wish that the investigation will be competent and objective. PSD leader Ponta said that Severin did what he had to do and that the result of the EP investigation will dictate further measures.
MEP Severin after conversation with Chairman Schultz: I decided to withdraw from the Socialist group
Romanian MEP Adrian Severin on Monday evening told Agerpres that following a conversation with leader of the Socialist MEP group in the European Parliament Martin Schultz he decided to withdraw from the Socialist MEP group pending the finalisation of an investigation into misconduct allegations against Severin carried by British publication The Sunday Times.
Severin met Schultz and Secretary General of the Socialist MEP group Anna Colombo.He added that he will announce his decision to withdraw at a meeting of the group's bureau on Tuesday. 'I have reached a somehow similar solution to the one I embraced and recommended to the Social Democratic Party (PSD). I explained to Mr. Schultz that if the allegations brought by the newspaper are ungrounded and the evidence displayed is false, all this set-up would only be rewarded by our resignation and such a resignation would be nothing but acknowledging that the accusations are true, because you have no reason to resign unless you acknowledge the accusations. I understood that there are some electoral rigours burdening some of my colleagues and that is why I came up with a proposal to withdraw from the Socialist group pending the finalisation of the investigation procedures,' said Severin.
He added that as far as he is concerned honest politics of a Social Democratic nature does not require resorting to 'ritualistic sacrifices.' 'This is populism, not Social Democracy,' said Severin. He voiced hope that the investigation procedures, if fair, would bring out the truth and reveal 'the ungrounded nature of the accusations levelled by The Sunday Times.'
'I believe this way we are doing the European Union a big favour because this will be a face to face battle that is conducted with arguments and official procedures, not a battle conducted by I don't know what private citizens somewhere outside the European institutions,' said Severin.
The MEP added that he will continue his activity within the European Parliament and vote along the lines of the Socialists and promote the Socialist stances, voicing hope that his colleagues will display solidarity in exchange.
'This, I believe, is the solution. I now have to better enunciate it by tomorrow and introduce it to the group's bureau for information. I know it is hard to be alone, but this does not make me quit hoping that as the days go on my fellow MEPs will display their solidarity in various ways. Likewise, it is clear that as far as I am concerned I will continue to vote with the group and promote the stances that are of the Socialist Democratic group,' Severin concluded.
Slovenian Zoran Thaler resigned from the EP following the lobby scandal
Slovenian MEP Zoran Thaler quit his position as MEP following the lobby scandal revealed by the British daily Sunday Times involving other two MEPs including Romanian Adrian Severin and Austrian Ernst Strasser. Strasser already quit yesterday according to sources in the European Parliament.
Three MEPs – Slovenian Zoran Thaler, Romanian Adrian Severin and Austrian Ernst Strasser were willing to sell their services in exchange of sums up to 100,000 euro to some undercover journalists posing as lobbyists. Strasser, former Austrian Foreign Affairs minister announced his resignation on Sunday when the scandal broke.
Martin Schulz, leader of the European Socialist group called on Monday at Brussels Adrian Severin and Zoran Thaler, members of the group. Schulz described the accusations as extremely serious and said that he wants to meet the two and hear their version of the story.If accusations are true, Schulz said that he will take the necessary measures. Schulz said that being a consultant, using the public image of a MEP is not compatible if the values of the Socialists and Democrats group. Deputy President of the Socialists Hanes Swoboda said that the Austrian MEP already resigned and implied that this is the expectation from Severin also. Swoboda said that the video tape says a thousand words. For now, Severin said that he is innocent and that he will not quit from the EP.
Romanian anti-graft prosecutors start an investigation on the possible corruption case involving Romanian MEP Adrian Severin
Anti graft prosecutors decided on Monday to start an investigation on the possible corruption case involving Romanian MEP Adrian Severin, following the lobby scandal revealed by the British daily Sunday Times involving the Romanian MEP, anti graft prosecutors’ spokesperson Livia Saplacan announced. Three MEPs – Slovenian Zoran Thaler, Romanian Adrian Severin and Austrian Ernst Strasser were willing, according to the British daily, to sell their services in exchange of sums up to 100,000 euro to some undercover journalists posing as lobbyists.