Fresh questions raised on legality of OLAF proceedings against Dalli

Johan Denolf, Chairman of the Supervisory Committee of the anti-fraud body, OLAF, has written to MEP Michael Theurer (ALDE), Chairman of the Committee of  Budgetary Control (CONT) of the European Parliament, where he questioned the legality of the procedure followed in the OLAF report which formed the justification by which President Jose Barroso dismissed Commissioner John Dalli on October 16, 2012. New Europe Online reports (http://www.neurope.eu/article/dalligate-olaf-s-chief-supervisor-denolf-says-dalli-report-did-not-follow-procedure ) that besides the violation of the principle of proportionality, where the investigation on Dalli should not have been opened at all, there were several other violations making the report obsolete. Mr Denolf wrote: Dear Mr. Theurer, "In response to your letter dated 29.11.2012, the OLAF Supervisory Committee informs you that it has thoroughly examined the case concerning, inter alia, Mr Dalli, in order to assess whether the investigation was conducted properly and, in particular, whether the investigative independence of OLAF as well as the fundamental rights and procedural guarantees of the persons concerned, were respected. The Supervisory...