Former Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou calls in an guest article for Euronews for stronger safeguards to protect the independence of the European Public Prosecutor's Office, following recent warnings from its outgoing chief, Laura Kövesi, about political pressure to investigations in Greece.
Laura Kövesi’s warning, as she completes her term of office, must be heard throughout Europe. An independent European Public Prosecutor’s Office must be supported for doing its job, not weakened because its investigations make the powerful uncomfortable.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
The rule of law means that no one is exempt
The rule of law means that no one is exempt: no prime minister, no minister, no wealthy individual and no politically connected vested interest. Its fundamental purpose is to protect those with the least power, the citizen without connections, the honest farmer, the worker and the most vulnerable members of our society. When public money is misused and accountability is obstructed, they are the ones who pay the price.
Laura Kövesi did her job. She and her colleagues fulfilled their mission despite political attacks, intimidation and attempts to undermine their independence. Her allegations concerning the pressure they faced in Greece demand serious answers.
The Greek government’s efforts to obstruct accountability and discredit those investigating the misuse of European funds are reprehensible. Attempts to divert attention from the substance of the investigations amount to attempts at a cover-up. The response to evidence must be transparency and cooperation with the judicial authorities. Every person is entitled to the presumption of innocence; no government is entitled to obstruct the discovery of the truth.
The rule of law cannot stop at national borders
The rule of law cannot stop at national borders, especially within the European Union, a Union founded on shared values and common obligations. National sovereignty must never become a shield for impunity. Protecting European funds means protecting citizens and the trust on which our Union is built.
I firmly believe that Greece could have avoided having to resort to the EU support mechanism and the memoranda had Europe had a European Public Prosecutor’s Office and a Laura Kövesi before the financial crisis. With the necessary powers, they would have exposed the previous Greek government’s mismanagement and cover-up before I became prime minister in 2009.
This would have awakened the European Commission from its inaction. It would also have enforced accountability and safeguarded confidence in the Greek economy before disaster struck. The Greek people would not have paid such a heavy price for practices and truths that were concealed from them.
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office must defend its independence
I hope that the new leadership of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office will defend its independence with the same determination. It must never yield to powerful lobbies, political pressure or patronage networks, regardless of where they come from or their political affiliation. Its duty is to follow the evidence and apply the law without fear or favour.
The European institutions and national governments must give the European Public Prosecutor’s Office the resources, powers and practical support it needs. Independence on paper is not enough when an institution is weakened through underfunding, delays or obstruction of its work.
The powerful must be held accountable before the law. The most vulnerable must be able to rely on it. Europe must honour that promise.