The Rosario Leo files (season 2) – OLAF

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(KL) – Back in 2023, we had covered a scandal in Italy where “Il Sistema”, this of course unofficial body of power composed of politicians, magistrates, industrial bosses and the organized crime, had bankrupted 8 construction companies which had constructed gas pipelines through Italy. All legal procedures had not lead to a result, given that many magistrates are involved in “Il Sistema” and made sure that no final judgment was delivered, which would have allowed Rosario Leo and the other entrepreneurs to file a lawsuit with the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. The prejudice for the involved entrepreneurs amounts to some 50 million euros which have disappeared in dark channels.

In 2023, we had provided a complete file and all related articles to the European institutions. We also filed a lawsuit with the European Public Prosecutors Office in Luxemburg which had accepted the lawsuit, but did not act on this case until now.

We also informed OLAF in Brussels, the European agency which is to investigate on corruption and fraud in the use of European funds. To our great surprise, OLAF responded that this case was of no interest to them and closed the communication.

In this “season 2”, we recontact all European institutions, asking why they did not act and underlining that there are new pipeline projects in Italy, where this criminal scheme could happen again. We publish here our requests to these institutions and we will also publish their reactions (or non-reactions).

Here is our mail to OLAF and we will keep you informed about the answers we hope to receive:

“Ladies and gentlemen,

On October 9, 2023, we had informed OLAF by mail about a scandal in Italy in the context of the construction of gas pipelines, where millions of euros of European funds had disappeared in the pockets of “Il Sistema”, causing the closure of 8 construction companies which lost around 50 million euros in this scandal. At the time, your office had replied the same day that OLAF would not be competent for an investigation about the case. Considering that this case is a fraud concerning European funds and a case of corruption, we are still surprised that OLAF is not interested in this case.

Considering that there are new pipeline projects in Italy for two new hydrogen pipelines, chances are that the same scheme will be repeated, leading again to a massive fraud on European funds.

We have resumed publication of this case and here are our questions:

• Why do you think that the case does not concern OLAF? Corruption, fraud on European funds – isn’t this exactly the core of your mission?
  

• Considering that the same scheme could apply to the new hydrogen pipelines in Italy, what will you be doing to avoid another fraud scheme in these new pipeline projects?
  

• Given the corruption scheme on a very high level (cf. our series of articles back in 2023), is there any kind of protection for this corruption? Considering that the European Public Prosecutors Office had accepted our lawsuit, but not becoming active in any way, considering that the European Commission had been duly informed, but did not become active in any way, considering that Eurojust had been duly informed, but did not become active in any way, we wonder what kind of protection “Il Sistema” enjoys in Brussels and Strasbourg. Will your office supervise the use of the European funds in the new pipeline projects? If yes, how? If not, why?

   

We are currently re-contacting all European institutions we had informed back in 2023, asking why none of these intervened, in spite of the fact that a lawsuit had been accepted by EPPO. The answers to our questions will be published, for the sake of transparency in such a case.

With our best regards,

Kai A. Littmann
Editor-in-chief Eurojournalist.eu
(acting on behalf of Mr. Rosario Leo, power of attorney had been already provided in 2023)”

In our opinion, it is the duty of these institutions and agencies to investigate highly criminal and corrupt white-collar cases, even if and especially when high ranked personalities are involved in such cases.