Judicial inquiry into MEP Vautmans after allegations of misusing European funds
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The Belgian federal police are opening a judicial inquiry into MEP Hilde Vautmans of the Flemish liberal party Open VLD, part of the Renew Europe group, at the request of the European public prosecutor's office. The investigation focuses on alleged misuse of European funds, news magazine Knack reports.
Former employees of Vautmans had testified to Knack in May that she had misused European funds and used staff paid by the European Parliament for tasks unrelated to her European mandate, which is forbidden. Vautmans is both an MEP and a councillor in the city of Sint-Truiden.
The European public prosecutor's office asked the federal police to draw up an official report based on the available information. Earlier this month, the public prosecutor’s office received that official report and ruled that there were sufficient elements to launch a judicial inquiry, Knack reports.
"I have already refuted these allegations in the past. If an investigation is effectively under way, I am happy to lend my full cooperation to it"
The investigation, led by the federal police's central service for the fight against organised economic and financial crime, allows the questioning of Vautmans' former employees.
Vautmans, who was re-elected as an MEP in the 9 June elections, denies the allegations made by her former employees and says none of them has filed a complaint.
"I have no knowledge" of the investigation, she told Belga, "except what I have learned through the press". "If it is confirmed that an investigation is under way, this means a violation of the secrecy of the investigation. I have already refuted these allegations in the past. If an investigation is effectively under way, I am happy to lend my full cooperation to it. That’s why I insist on being heard as soon as possible.”
#FlandersNewsService | Hilde Vautmans in a meeting of a European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg, February 2024 © PHOTO FRED MARVAUX/HANS LUCAS
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