The situation is complicated by the dissolution of the ID group after last year’s EU election, with most of its members and staff joining the new Patriots for Europe group. While the Parliament’s budgetary control committee views the two groups as related, making the Patriots potentially responsible for repaying funds, the Patriots argue they are distinct legal entities.
Patriots MEP Tamás Deutsch called the claim that the Patriots are the legal successors to the ID group “absurd” in September, after the budgetary control committee directed the secretary-general to pursue the recovery of the allegedly misspent funds.
The committee’s letter to Metsola suggests that the secretary-general should evaluate the liabilities of the responsible lawmakers and hierarchy for the intentional or gross-negligent authorization of irregular expenditure.
An EPPO spokesperson did not provide a specific timeline for the investigation’s results, stating that the probe is ongoing and will take as long as needed to thoroughly review all relevant elements, both incriminating and exculpatory.
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