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- Ελληνικά
The Vice-President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and Special Representative of the Convention on Combating Corruption, Ms Irini Charalambidou, concluded yesterday in Brussels her contacts with representatives of institutions of the European Union whose main focus is the fight against corruption.
Specifically, Ms Charalambidou had separate meetings with the Director General of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), Mr. Ville Itälä, with a representative of the EU Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO), Ms Pascale Vanderweyer, with Mr Luc de Lobel, member of the Office of the Commissioner for Justice, Mr Alvaro de Elera, member of the Office of the Commissioner for Justice, and Mr Alvaro de Elera, member of the Office of the Commissioner for Values and Transparency. Jeroen Blomsma, Head of the Anti-Corruption Unit of the EU Directorate General for Home Affairs.
During the meetings, Ms Charalambidou referred to the role of the OSCE CSO and her responsibilities as Special Representative in the field of preventing and fighting corruption. Ms. Charalambidou said that the OSCE CSO, as an organisation in which security challenges are at the heart of its work, mainly explores the link between corruption and stability, security and democracy, as well as the direct link between corruption and issues of money laundering and terrorist financing. She referred in this context to a relevant discussion she chaired at the most recent Autumn Session of the OSCE CSO in Yerevan as well as to other relevant activities of the OSCE CSO.
Ms Charalambidou underlined the importance of cooperation between international organisations active in the field of anti-corruption and in particular the need to strengthen the synergies between the OSCE CSO and the EU. In this context, all her interlocutors expressed the desire to strengthen this cooperation and the positive results it would have.
In the context of the meetings, Ms Charalambidou focused on the report on the rule of law prepared by the European Commission and praised the high level of expertise and responsibility that characterises it. She noted that it contributes to safeguarding democracy by improving the functioning of the institutions. At the same time, he stressed that it is a powerful tool for achieving important reforms necessary for the proper functioning of states. In this context, he referred to the case of Cyprus and to the observations contained in the report on the rule of law concerning the role and prerogatives of the Attorney General, issues of conflict of interest and challenges faced by other independent institutions in Cyprus. In this context, Ms Charalambidou referred to the importance of accountability and oversight of state institutions in order to effectively safeguard democracy.
The European Commission is particularly pleased that the report is being used by members of national parliaments. It was stressed that the report on the rule of law is an important tool for reversing trends of democratic drift within the EU and enhances its credibility on the international scene. It was stressed that violations of the principles of the rule of law are a factor that reinforces citizens' disillusionment with their political parties and the political system in their countries and reinforces the tendency for young scientists in particular to emigrate.
There were also extensive references to the content of the European Commission's legislative proposals in relation to the fight against corruption.
In addition, views were exchanged on a number of other issues such as the risks of corruption in the green transition and defence sectors, the challenges posed by asset recovery, the use of cryptocurrencies and progress in the field of artificial intelligence. Broader issues that threaten the rule of law were discussed, such as the influencing of elections through the circulation of fake news, notably on social media.
(Text as sent by the House of Representatives)
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