About: corruption
Former Greek anti-corruption chief: Novartis scandal has harmed EU budget
The scandal involving Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis in Greece has affected the health budgets of other EU countries and the bloc’s finances, Greece’s former anti-corruption prosecutor Eleni Touloupaki told EURACTIV.com in an interview.
Greece replaces Bulgaria as the EU press freedom black sheep
After many years of having Bulgaria as the worst-ranked EU country in terms of press freedom, the World Press Freedom index for 2022 painted a different picture on Tuesday (3 May): Bulgaria has improved while the worsening media situation in Greece sent that country to the bottom.
Bulgaria slams Russia for ‘gas blackmail’, will not halt Serbia deliveries
Russian energy giant Gazprom halted gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria on Wednesday (27 April) citing their failure to pay for gas in roubles, in the Kremlin's toughest response yet to the crippling sanctions imposed by the West for its invasion of Ukraine.
‘Serbian prosecutors are not fighting corruption because they are afraid’
There is little legal action against corrupt politicians in Serbia because prosecutors are holding back, fearing possible retribution, according to Serbian judge Dragana Boljević, who spoke to EURACTIV about the EU candidate country's judicial system.
Ukraine crisis prompts UK U-turn on economic crime law
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has prompted a U-turn by the UK government, which has fast-tracked its Economic Crime Bill, legislation promised since 2016, in order to help "flush out the oligarchs, criminals and kleptocrats".
EU court to broadcast live landmark ruling on Poland and Hungary
The EU's highest court will rule Wednesday (16 February) on whether European Union funds can be slashed for member states flouting democratic standards, a case with major implications for Poland and Hungary.
Explainer: How a German ‘climate’ fund fought US sanctions against Nord Stream 2
A German politician set up a state-backed foundation with Russian energy company Gazprom last year to help Moscow avoid US sanctions on a pipeline due to carry Russian gas to Europe.
Former EU Commissioner Dalli charged with bribery in Malta court
Former EU health commissioner John Dalli appeared in a Maltese court Wednesday (9 February) charged with bribery and trading in influence over a tobacco lobbying scandal that caused his resignation a decade ago.
MEP Sophie in ‘t Veld: Efforts to defend old system in Bulgaria don’t work
In an exclusive interview, MEP Sophie in ‘t Veld shared some insights from Thursday’s European Parliament Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group (DRFMG) session, which she chaired, where the Bulgarian Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev and the new Prime Minister Kiril Petkov were auditioned.
Twenty people dominate corruption in Bulgaria, PM tells MEPs
At a closed session of the European Parliament in Brussels on Thursday, new Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov said twenty people led a deeply entrenched system of graft in the country. But he named only one of them.
EU might propose freezing funds for Poland and Hungary before April
The European Commission could propose freezing European Union structural funds for Hungary and Poland over concerns for the rule of law before a Hungarian parliamentary election on 3 April, Budget Commissioner Johannes Hahn said on Tuesday (25 January).
Kazakh FM: We had no choice but to call the Russian troops
Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi said on Tuesday (18 January) the situation in his country was normalising, following the unrest that shook it in the first days of the new year, and Russian troops, which he said helped prevent a possible coup d'etat, were withdrawing.
Kazakh president fires rare criticism at predecessor after unrest
Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev issued rare criticism of his long-ruling predecessor Tuesday (11 January), and said he expected Russian-led forces to leave the troubled Central Asian country in the next 10 days.
Moldovan president to Russia: joining the EU is our choice
Moldova aspires to join the European Union and the former Soviet republic has told Russia that this is its choice, Moldovan President Maia Sandu said on Tuesday (14 December), ahead of the Eastern Partnership summit.
Italy arrests Albania’s fugitive ex-chief prosecutor
Albania's former chief prosecutor, who fled the country after being handed a prison term for corruption, has been arrested in Italy, police in Tirana said on Monday (13 December).
‘Change continues’ is the surprise winner of Bulgarian elections
‘Change continues’, a new anti-graft political force in Bulgaria, is the surprise leader following the parliamentary and presidential elections in Bulgaria on Sunday (14 November), while the country’s President Rumen Radev is well-placed for reelection, having won 48.5% in the first round.
Bulgaria’s justice minister: ‘This chief prosecutor will bring us EU sanctions’
In an exclusive interview for EURACTIV Bulgaria, the caretaker justice minister Ivan Demerdjiev offered scathing criticism of Prosecutor-General Ivan Geshev, saying that unless he is removed, Bulgaria risks losing access to EU funding.
A Bulgarian perspective on Serbian politics
The US messages sent to Bulgaria in April and Serbia in November are equally straightforward, the only difference being that in Bulgaria, they already produced a big effect and a change of power took place, writes Antoinette Nikolova.
Bulgarian elections marked by radicalisation of ethnic Turkish party
A sanctioned Bulgarian businessman and media tycoon will run for parliament in the November elections on the slate of the predominantly ethnically Turkish “Movement of Rights and Freedoms” (DPS), whose leader Mustafa Karadaya is in the race for president.
ECB policymaker Kazimir charged with bribery, denies wrongdoing
Slovak central bank Governor and European Central Bank governing council member Peter Kažimír has been charged with bribery but denies wrongdoing and will defend himself against the charges, Kazimir and his lawyer said on Tuesday (12 October).
EU hopeful Albania struggles with its own asylum seekers
Albania has a problem with asylum. Between 2010 and 2019, more than 193,000 Albanians applied for asylum in the European Union, a significant portion of the EU candidate country's population of 2.8 million.
Austrian Chancellor Kurz resigns over corruption allegations
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced his resignation on Saturday evening (9 October) over corruption allegations and a looming government crisis. Experts say that he will act as a shadow-chancellor and might return to office once cleared of the allegations.
State Department says US is reviewing findings from Pandora Papers
The United States is reviewing findings of leaked financial documents known as the Pandora Papers, but is not in a position to comment on specifics, State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Monday (4 October).