Van Buitenen book to reveal corruption at EC
High-profile European Commission whistleblower Paul van Buitenen will reveal a litany of European Union scandals and corruption cases when he releases his programme for the European elections this month.
Link: Van Buitenen party to expose state of EU finances
Van Buitenen is exploiting the rules that allow European Commission officials to stand for parliament and make detailed election statements, by publishing a book In the Trenches of Brussels on April 28, which will act as an election manifesto.
The Dutch and German language book will contain accounts from other whistleblowers, including former chief accountant Marta Andreason, who recently withdrew from van Buitenen?s election slate Europa Transparant.
A former Accountancy Age Personality of the Year, van Buitenen said his ‘chances were high’ of being elected in the Netherlands in the 10 June poll. The country operates a pure national list proportional representation system to elect 27 MEPs, meaning his list would have to secure just 4% of the vote to send him to Strasbourg.
Van Buitenen may need the job, as he has received a highly critical letter from the commission about his upcoming book, accusing him of breaching staff regulations.
‘It indicates that I would be out of a job,’ said the mid-ranking commission official, who is taking unpaid leave to stand for election.
‘They say the book is too far-fetched, negative and aggressive.’
He expects disciplinary proceedings to follow the poll – if he became an MEP, he would continue his leave, forcing Brussels to take action.