JÁVORT Az EU-BA!

Támogasd Te is küzdelmünket a zöld és igazságos jövőért!

Benedek Jávor talked to András Horváth a Hungarian whistleblower- exclusive video

On Monday Benedek Jávor MEP went to Luxembourg to support the whistleblowers on their trial in Luxembourg.

Benedek Jávor talked to András Horváth, a Hungarian whistleblower, who reported on the systematic tax evasion on the scale of 1000 billion forint and the Hungarian Tax Authorities’ (NAV)
attitude to turn blind eyes on multinational corporations’ tax evasion techniques.

You can see the video below (click for Enlgish subtitle).

More details on the event in Luxembourg here

Luxleaks trial and conference- whistleblower protection now!

Antoine Deltour, the whistleblower behind the LuxsLeaks scandal, was sentenced to 18 months suspended on first instance. On the second instance, the attorney asked for dispensation, the prosecutor for exasperation. The first day of the second instance trial was yesterday in Luxembourg, several members of Greens/EFA group were present. Jávor Benedek spoke in his defense (and that of his colleagues, Raphael Halet and journalist Edouard Perrin) on the solidarity protest.

However, Deltour’s story is not unique. Many whistleblowers are similarly facing various official and legal procedures, threats and others ways to annihilate their work and life. Four whistleblowers came to Luxembourg, including András Horváth, who reported on the systematic tax evasion on the scale of 1000 billion forint and the Hungarian Tax Authorities’ (NAV) blind eye towards the tax evasion techniques of multinational corporations. The lack of protection of whistleblowers does not only concern the whistleblowers, it also discourages others to make public those abuses they know about. Therefore the public’s interest is harmed. That is why we need strong, European-wide protection of whistleblowers. The Greens have prepared a draft for a whistleblower directive. The European Parliament has claimed at various times to support the creation of such a directive. Now it is time for the Commission and the Member states to make it happen.

Discussion between Benedek Jávor and András Horváth here.

More photos from the conference below:

1-1-of-1_31449975632_o 2-1-of-1_30787073783_o 3-1-of-1_31449974842_o 4-1-of-1_30755445844_o 5-1-of-1_30755449644_o 6-1-of-1_31449974302_o 7-1-of-1_30755449324_o 8-1-of-1_31480741201_o 9-1-of-1_30755448474_o 10-1-of-1_30755447844_o 11-1-of-1_31224360810_o 12-1-of-1_30755447134_o 13-1-of-1_31224360230_o 14-1-of-1_30755446484_o 15-1-of-1_31224359680_o 16-1-of-1_30755445444_o img_4766-1_31522205061_o img_4800-1_31491280702_o img_4823-1_31637980305_o img_4832-1_30796369594_o img_4904-1_31491281482_o img_4913-1_30796369024_o img_4927-1_31491281202_o img_4936-1_30796368724_o img_4986-1_31522202321_o img_4995-1_30796368324_o img_5000-1_31600967206_o img_5042-1_31600966856_o

EU Budget Parliament takes step in the right direction

The European Parliament today voted on the 2017 budget and the revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), backing several amendments from the Greens/EFA Group.

 

Among these are the freezing of 20% of the pot in the EU Commission’s budget from which former EU commissioners are paid a transitional allowance for three years: this money will not be released until the EU Commission submits a new code of conduct.

 

Greens/EFA Group budget spokesperson Indrek Tarand said:

 

“The European Parliament has taken some steps in the right direction. The majority of MEPs have asked for more money for programmes such as LIFE, Erasmus, and the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement. All of these are concrete projects that will benefit EU citizens.

 

“It is positive that we were able to ensure more money is made available for responding to the major political challenges we face, such as tackling the root causes that force people to flee their countries, and the integration of refugees in EU member states.  But it is clear that the new money is not sufficient. If we really want to fight the root causes of migration, we need to deliver further financial means. The governments of the EU Member States now have a duty to take up the parliament’s demands and make more money available for the EU budget.”

 

Green transparency spokesperson Benedek Jávor added:

 

“The decision to partially freeze the remuneration of former commissioners is only right and proper given the recent scandals involving ex-Commissioners Kroes and Barroso. The Commission’s ethics system is in need of urgent reform, yet they continue to insist that everything is fine. Now, the European Parliament is using its powers to effect change – if the Commission wants us to lift this budget reserve, it will have to strengthen its Code of Conduct first.”

Orbán bites the European hand that feeds his oligarchs – it’s time to bite back!

This week, the European Court of Auditors will report on how the EU spends taxpayer money. For once, the worst offending member states will be named and shamed, with Hungary set to top the list. This should just be the starting point, insist Bart Staes and Benedek Javor.

Bart Staes and Benedek Javor are both Green MEPs and members of the budgetary control committee in the European Parliament.

The ECA’s report will be presented during the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. This year, as with the previous 21, the report states that the ECA could not declare that EU spending of almost €150 billion in 2015 was entirely free from mismanagement, negligence or fraud by member states.

What is different this year, however, is the decision by the ECA to name those countries that are the worst at ensuring EU funds are properly spent – and Hungary, under the rule of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, comes out on ‘top’.

The figures are staggering: the same Viktor Orbán who runs roughshod over basic European democratic values, the rule of law and protection of minorities, will be the proud recipient of €25 billion between 2014 and 2020 – more than any other EU country on a per capita basis apart from Lithuania – and yet a large percentage of the Hungarian projects funded by the European Union are by research of Transparency International Hungary described as ‘corrupt’.

EU funding for the regions of Europe (so-called cohesion funding) accounts for around one-third of the EU budget and is meant to help create a level social and economic playing field across the EU, reducing disparities between and within member states.

Yet despite being one of the major beneficiaries of EU funding, Hungary shows little sign of improvement – indeed regional and social inequalities in Hungary have grown significantly over the last few years. To mention just one example: Hungary’s spending on education is the lowest in the whole of the OECD, both as a percentage of total public spending and of GDP.

So where does the money go then? While some of it is undoubtedly spent on positive and useful projects for which is was intended, much of it is not. There are many cases of EU money being used to finance projects that ostensibly follow fair and transparent public procurement procedures but which in fact are often a cover for Orbán to give money to his oligarch cronies.

They include Lőrinc Mészáros, Orbán’s childhood school friends and mayor of the his home village; István Tiborcz, Orbán’s son-in-law; István Garancsi, a friend of Orbán’s and president of the football club of the town where Orbán was born; and Lajos Simicska, Orbán’s former college roommate, and former treasurer of the ruling party, who was the regime’s top oligarch until he fell out with the prime minister early last year.

In 2013 alone, the share of the combined value of tenders won by the many companies owned by these four people accounted for 11% of all public procurement contracts agreed that year. Between 2011 and 2014 the share of EU financing in the contracts won by these four men never fell below 80%; the average share of EU funds in Hungarian procurements is usually between 50 and 60%.

Simicska’s case is particularly interesting in shedding light on how this public procurement process really works. His companies won contracts worth hundreds of billions of forints before his friendship with Orbán came to a sorry end; since the rift with Orbán, his companies have won virtually nothing. In other words, if you’re close to Orbán, you have a much greater chance of winning the contract.

Ironically, it is this falling out with Orbán that means that there are still some critical voices in Hungary. Simicska rebelled against Orbán’s plans to introduce a special media tax (because it would have hurt his media interests) and now uses his once-loyal media empire to criticise the government.

Other critical voices are more easily stifled: the recent closure of leading opposition daily newspaper Népszabadság by new owners sympathetic to Orbán is just the latest example in an increasingly long list of independent voices summarily silenced.

Most Hungarians now get their news spoon-fed to them by the regime’s propaganda industry – all financed to a large extent by European taxpayers’ money meant to be used to help remove inequalities between EU member states.

Yet despite this being widely documented, the EU institutions continue to turn a blind eye. While Orbán’s crony capitalism is perhaps the most extreme example, the abuse of EU funding goes well beyond Hungary’s borders and risks irredeemably tainting the entire EU project if it is not tackled.

The naming and shaming by the ECA is just a start – real action is now needed to put an end to these abuses. Let’s hope other EU leaders and political leaders have the political courage to do just that. It’s time all relevant EU institutions start biting back at Orbán, on behalf of good governance for Hungarian citizens.

This article first appeared at the Euractiv news website: https://www.euractiv.com/section/central-europe/opinion/orban-bites-the-european-hand-that-feeds-his-oligarchs-its-time-to-bite-back/


Transparency register – Progress on lobby transparency but many loopholes remain

Today, Frans Timmermans, Vice-President of the European Commission, presented the proposal for a new Inter-Institutional Agreement between the European Commission, European Parliament and the European Council, relating to the transparency register for lobbyists. Rapporteur for the Transparency Report of the European Parliament (1) and Greens/EFA finance and economic spokesman Sven Giegold commented:

 

“The European Commission’s proposals are an important step towards greater lobby transparency in the European Union. It is right that the European Parliament and the Council presidencies should make their contact with lobbyists transparent. Lobby transparency would make a crucial contribution to strengthening the confidence of citizens in the European Institutions. The conservatives of EPP and liberals of ALDE must drop their resistance in the European Parliament and allow the measures to proceed.

 

“However, the Commission’s proposals stop halfway. Only Commissioners and Director Generals are currently included, while lobbying of other senior staff and heads of units in the EU agencies would remain in the dark. Lobby transparency will remain empty words for the permanent representations of the member states in Brussels, not to speak of the governments in their capitals. Unfortunately, the proposal also lacks a legislative footprint, which would make transparent for any new EU legislation which lobbyists have lobbied which MEPs, Member States and Commission. We need the rules to be extended and a legislative footprint to make the transparency register as comprehensive as possible.”

 

Green transparency spokesperson Benedek Javor added:

 

“The Greens/EFA group has already taken important measures towards greater transparency through our Lobbycal project, free software that makes meetings with lobbyists transparent, including information about the subjects discussed. Many Members of our group use it already and I would encourage others to follow this example. By taking steps towards greater transparency in our work, we can help foster greater trust in politicians at a time when it is at a low. The European Council is of particular concern as it is currently the least transparent of the three institutions: we hope the Member States will step up to the challenge and deliver the transparency and accountability that citizens expect, and deserve.”

 

(1)  The report sets out proposals for greater lobbying transparency and stricter rules on the integrity of Members of the European Parliament. Under pressure from the conservatives in the European Parliament, the vote has been postponed.

 

 

Additional information:

 

The proposal of the European Commission:  http://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regdoc/rep/1/2016/EN/1-2016-627-EN-F1-1.PDF

And the corresponding annex: http://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regdoc/rep/1/2016/EN/1-2016-627-EN-F1-1-ANNEX-1.PDF

Memo by Commission explaining their proposal: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-16-3181_en.htm

Sven Giegold’s draft report on transparency, accountability and integrity: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//NONSGML+COMPARL+PE-567.666+01+DOC+WORD+V0//EN&language=EN

Blockade by Conservatives against the voting of the transparency report in Parliament: http://www.sven-giegold.de/2016/conservatives-blocking-lobby-transparency-and-moves-to-sanction-conflicts-of-interest-in-the-european-parliament/

A Vintage train for Orbán’s hometown – Benedek Jávor demands investigation

A ”tourist attraction” vintage railway was built in Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s hometown of Felcsút, at a cost of €2 million for 30 passengers per day.

 

 

Benedek Jávor has turned to OLAF [European Anti-Fraud Office] as well as the European Commission’s Regional Directorate to investigate the matter of the unused Felcsút small-gauge railway. 80% of the €2 million was covered by EU funds, and according to Benedek Jávor, this investment does not serve the interests of Hungarian taxpayers or the EU.

This hobby project of the Prime Minister travels between Vikor Orbán’s hometown of Felcsút (a town with 1,700 inhabitants, and the location of the 3,500-seat Puskás football stadium) and Alcsút, a small neighbouring village. The train is said to go from nowhere to nowhere.

The early application submitted for EU funds suggested that 2,500-7,000 passengers would use the line daily. As Mr. Benedek Jávor told the Telegraph: “The Hungarian government intentionally reported false data, as it was crystal clear even at the time of submitting the application that the estimated numbers are totally absurd and unrealistic. This is cheating and fraud which should be investigated by EU bodies.” Benedek Jávor asked for the documentations of original applications, which were not initially provided.

Later, Hungarian state secretary, Nándor Csepreghy, provided documents that 27 to 28 passengers would use the train line daily. If this is the original documentation, then, it is still unclear how it was possible to finance such a project. Benedek Jávor has asked various ministries to provide information on the expected pay-off time of the project. He has not received concrete answers yet.

Benedek Jávor calls for stronger protection of whistleblowers

Following the regrettable decision of a Luxembourg court, the protection of whistleblowers was debated on the plenary session of the European Parliament on 6 July in Strasbourg. Benedek Jávor in his speech (attended by representatives of the Council and Vice-President of the Commission Jyrki Katainen) claimed that current system is simply not enough to protect whistle-blowers; in fact, verdict such as in the case of LuxLeaks intimidate whistleblowers. The Commission needs to take steps for an effective EU-wide protecting system. People releasing information on illegal activities can face criminal charges.

Here you can watch the speeches of four Greens/EFA MEPs from the plenary debate.

 

Greens/EFA members believe that it is now a matter of emergency and it is crucial to act, as the recent scandals such as LuxLeaks or Panama Papers prove that whistlerblowers play an essential role in defending public interest. Since Commission has not taken any action so far, Greens/EFA MEPs have already prepared their own proposal for a new directive on protecting people providing information about corruption, tax avoidance and other cases. The existing provisions are scattered across different laws. Member States regulate protection at various levels, some Member States having regulated some level of protection in anti-corruption laws, others in public service laws, and again others in labour, criminal and sector-specific law, others do not have any legal protection. The gaps in regulations are not efficient and harm the public interest.

 

 

Press release: Luxembourg Leaks trial – Regrettable verdict a wake-up call on whistleblower protection

A Luxembourg court today ruled that ‘Luxembourg Leaks’ whistleblowers Antoine Deltour and Raphaël Halet were guilty of stealing documents, revealing business secrets and violating trade secrets (1). Criticising the verdict, Green transparency spokesperson Benedek Javor MEP, who was in Luxembourg for the verdict today, said:

“This deeply regrettable verdict should be a clear wake-up call on the need to finally recognise and protect the crucial role performed by whistleblowers in democratic systems by shedding light on vital information in the public interest. The vital information revealed by the ‘Luxembourg Leaks’ whistleblowers threw the spotlight on the tax avoidance practices of multinational corporations, leading to investigations in the EU Parliament and elsewhere, as well as legislative proposals to close the loopholes that made this tax avoidance possible. There can be absolutely no doubt that Antoine Deltour, Raphaël Halet and Edouard Perrin were serving the public interest. To punish them for their actions is the opposite of what a rational legal system in a democracy should be doing. We will support them ni their appeal.

“This trial has driven home the precarious situation of whistleblowers even in modern democratic states. The only way to ultimately resolve this is by providing clear legal protection for whistleblowers. The European Parliament has called on the EU Commission to propose EU legislation to this end on a number of occasions and there is a clear legal basis for such a framework under the EU Treaties. Only last month, our group outlined a prototype for how such an EU law should look (2) and we are now again urging the Commission to act on this and bring forward a proposal.”

(1) The Luxembourg court delivered a guilty verdict to Antoine Deltour and Raphaël Halet. Antoine Deltour was sentenced to 12 months in prison with a €1500 fine and Raphaël Halet was sentenced to 9 months with a €1000 fine. In addition to the fine, they have clearly faced an arduous 2-year ordeal and the loss of their jobs. Journalist Edouard Perrin, who was also on trial, was acquitted.

(2) The Greens/EFA proposals for an EU whistleblower directive can be found at: http://www.greens-efa.eu/whistle-blowers-directive-15498.html

 

Below is a video from the Greens’ Twitter account, in which Mr. Jávor explains the situation:

 

ITCO intergroup: corruption remains challenge in EU member states

Today, Transparency International presents its Corruption Perception Index 2015, which illustrates the perceived level of corruption around the world. A vast majority (two-thirds) of the 168 countries in the world score below 50, on a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (not corrupt). In this year’s index, Denmark is the number one ‘clean’ country, whereas North Korea and Somalia are perceived to be the worst of all countries. The ITCO intergroup welcomes the improvements made, but warns not to look away from a persistent tradition of corruption within (some) EU member states. 

Fortunately, most EU member states are assigned a better score than in last years’ CPI. The index shows improvements are made in Greece, where the new Tsipras government highly prioritizes combatting corruption. Greece goes up from place 69 to 58 in the index. Cyprus and Spain on the other hand, have gone down in the index. Co-president of the ITCO intergroup Dennis de Jong comments: ‘overall you can identify a positive trend in the EU, however we should not underestimate the remaining challenges.’

Romania, Bulgaria and Italy are among the countries that score below 50. Elly Schlein, co-president of the ITCO intergroup states: ‘the CPI illustrates the need to continue the battle against corruption. The level of corruption is still high in many EU countries. We need a European framework to prevent and fight more efficiently corruption in Europe, starting from whistleblowing protection.’

The CPI is based on the perceptions of expert opinions of public sector corruption. Companies are asked to give their opinion about the countries in which they operate. De Jong: ‘we don’t have a more accurate instrument to measure corruption than perceptions. Corruption is a criminal offence, so the parties involved have an interest in covering it up. Accurate numbers on bribery are not available.’

You can find the CPI 2015 here.

Conference on the accountability of the EU

 

On the 14th of January, Mr. Benedek Jávor took part in a conference at the College of Europe in Bruge, Belgium, where along with Carl Dolan, director of Transparency International EU and Fergal O’Regal, representetaive the Head of Unit at the European Ombudsman, he held a presentation on the transparency and accountability of the European Union as well as the EU’s efforts to tackle corruption. The presentation can be found on this link.