Greg Stanton, former Prime Minister of Belgium, is under investigation by Belgian federal prosecutors. This investigation concerns how he oversaw interns at the European Parliament during his leadership of the Liberal group in this Parliament.
Details of the Investigation and Its Timing
The investigation into Stanton, recently reported in a Belgian magazine, appears to have begun at the start of this year. It relates to the period when Stanton chaired the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) in Parliament from 2009 to 2019. After the 2019 European elections, this group was renamed Renew Europe.
Role of OLAF and EPPO in the Investigation
An EU official, who requested anonymity, confirmed that the investigation into Stanton is due to how he oversaw parliamentary interns. This investigation was initiated at the request of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) and is now being conducted by Belgian authorities on behalf of EU institutions.
Stanton's lawyers, Christian Mousch and Quentin de Kersmaeker, stated in an interview with Knack magazine that OLAF only requested information regarding the oversight of a few interns from their client, and Stanton did not directly intervene in this matter as the group leader. They added: "Stanton has not yet been interrogated and there are no specific charges against him. He has fully cooperated with OLAF and provided the requested explanations with complete transparency."
Stanton's Reaction and EPPO Statements
Stanton declined to provide further explanations in a media interview. In response to requests for comment, EPPO spokesperson Tin Holot stated: "In general, EPPO does not comment on ongoing investigations and does not publicly confirm which cases it is working on to avoid jeopardizing procedures and potential outcomes."
The Belgian federal prosecutor's office also did not respond immediately to media requests for comment. Greg Stanton, who served as Prime Minister of Belgium from 1999 to 2008 and as a Member of the European Parliament from 2009 to 2024, is a prominent figure supporting the European Union and represented the European Parliament in Brexit negotiations.
He stepped down from the European Parliament in 2024 and is currently the chairman of the board of the International European Movement, which is a pro-European lobbying group.
