Europees Parlement vraagt openheid inzake Barrot's veroordeling vanwege illegale partijfinanciering (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - MEPs have called for clarification surrounding French Commissioner Jacques Barrot's conviction in 2000 over illegal party financing.

The leader of the Socialists Martin Schulz has requested a meeting with José Manuel Durao Barroso, the President of the European Commission, to find out why the case was not revealed to MEPs.

"I am taking this seriously", said Mr Schulz on Friday (20 November) who also asked to have a meeting with Mr Barrot "to hear his side of the case".

Other political groups have reacted too. "I call on the President of the Commission to react quickly and, together with the French government, to clarify the facts and to decide how to proceed", said leader of the liberals Graham Watson.

On Saturday, Mr Barroso said in a statement that the French Commissioner "will transmit in writing all the necessary information related to his personal situation and that he is at the disposal of the European Parliament".

The revelations about Mr Barrot are the latest in a line of problems that have marred the beginning of the new Commission's five-year term - and are another headache for Mr Barroso.

Mr Barrot's past was revealed by eurosceptic UK MEP Nigel Farage just minutes before MEPs voted to approve the Commission on Thursday (18 November).

The revelation came as a surprise to most MEPs and to the Commission President, whose spokesman said "Mr Barroso found out [on Thursday] about this".

The spokesman added that Mr Barroso has "full confidence" in the Commissioner who "has never been accused of personal enrichment".

Mr Barrot was given an eight-month suspended sentence in 2000. However, a general amnesty in 1995 by French President Jacques Chirac meant that the case was wiped from record and French media are not allowed to refer to it.

The Commissioner was one of many politicians, from all major parties, who got into trouble over illegal party funding dating back to a period before 1991 when France had no laws governing the matter.

"The activity in which [Mr Barrot] was involved would disqualify him from holding public office in many EU member states", said Mr Watson, who urged common rules on the matter.

The new Commission will take up office on Monday (22 November) following a turbulent few weeks where the Italian Commissioner Rocco Buttiglione was rejected after expressing conservative views on gays and the role of the women in society.

The Latvian Commissioner, Ingrida Udre, was also withdrawn after MEPs raised questions about funding irregularities for her political party.