The meeting of the Bureau of the Group of the European People’s Party in Warsaw, scheduled for next week, has been cancelled. At the request of the head of the EPP, Manfred Weber, the presidium of the group agreed that it would take place in Warsaw at a later date, Andrzej Halicki (PO), head of the PO-PSL delegation in the EP, told to PAP. The confusion stems from a search of the EPP office in Brussels by Belgian police, who checked documents related to an ongoing investigation into alleged corruption.
Contrary to some media reports, there would not be a summit or congress of the European People’s Party in Warsaw next week, but a meeting of the Bureau of the EPP Group in the EP, ie the leadership of the Group. Such meetings are attended by the leaders of the EPP group, ie the heads of committees or parliamentarians coordinating in the EP. Guests are also invited. Usually dozens of people attend these gatherings
Halicki told PAP.
I think Weber wants to quickly clarify the investigation carried out in Germany against the CDU politician in Thuringia, in connection with the 2019 EP election campaign. In this case, the EPP has the status of witness or victim
noted Halicki.
Office meetings are thematic in nature. Not all committee heads or coordinators attend, but those who work in a particular area do. In Warsaw we would talk about the security and future of Ukraine in the EU and NATO. This topic is still relevant and has our priority
Halicki added.
I am not a member of the bureau myself and have had no influence on the decision to postpone the meeting
said the politician.
He indicated that a new date for the meeting in Warsaw has not yet been set.
The Euractiv portal reported on Thursday that the European People’s Party (EPP), which includes PO and PSL, has canceled a meeting of its party scheduled for next week in Warsaw over the confusion caused by the Belgian police raid in party headquarters in Brussels. on Tuesday.
Two different sources within the EPP confirmed to EURACTIV that “the Polish EPP delegation expressed serious concern about the developments and the political damage inflicted on the centre-right family following the raid.”
Robbery of EVP offices
EURACTIV reported on Tuesday that Belgian police raided EVP offices, checked computers and demanded documents related to an ongoing investigation into alleged corruption during the 2019 election campaign.
The focus is on German Christian Democratic (CDU) MP Mario Voigt, campaign manager of EPP leader Manfred Weber’s network during the 2019 EP election campaign.
In September last year, the Judiciary Committee of the Thuringia State Parliament lifted Voigt’s legal immunity pending an investigation by the German prosecutor’s office.
Poland’s center-right Civic Platform (PO) reportedly asked the EPP leadership to cancel the meeting after harsh criticism of pro-government media in Poland that tried to link the PO to the parliamentary election scandal
– we read in Euractiv.
According to Euractiv sources, “PO leader Donald Tusk has already canceled his participation in Wednesday’s meeting because “since the raid, media close to PiS have tried to implicate Donald Tusk in the affair.”
A second source told EURACTIV that Weber initially wanted the meeting to go ahead, but then changed his mind.
READ ALSO: A wave of reactions after the cancellation of the EPP meeting in Warsaw! “They are ashamed of themselves”; “Pale Anxiety in PO”; “Anyone scared?”
mly/PAP
Source: wPolityce