OLAF chief confident of Dalligate probe legality

The EU anti-fraud agency is confident none of its actions were illegal when it investigated former Health Commissioner John Dalli. “We have done a legality check on the points raised by the supervisory committee [the agency OLAF’s watchdog] and we are pretty confident we have done nothing that is not according to law ...,” agency chief Giovanni Kessler said. “But if anyone of the people concerned feels aggrieved they can take us to court. Mr Dalli has raised one point, we will see,” Mr Kessler said. He was speaking at a press briefing in Brussels yesterday where he presented the agency’s annual report for 2012. The reaction comes after Green MEPs Bart Staes and José Bové leaked to the media in Malta a copy of an internal opinion by the supervisory committee, which questioned the legality of some of OLAF’s actions during the investigation involving John Dalli. Most of the questions raised actually concern Silvio Zammit, Mr Dalli’s former canvasser, who has so far been the only person charged in connection with the investigation. He is denying charges of trading in influence and bribery for allegedly asking tobacco firm Swedish Match for €60 million in return for lifting a ban on...