The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) has been targeted for billions of dollars of purchases of corona vaccines in the EU. This confirms “that it is investigating the purchase of Covid-19 vaccines in the European Union,” the authority said on Friday. During the pandemic, the European Commission had negotiated and contracted hundreds of millions of doses of vaccine on behalf of member states. The procedure has been criticized repeatedly for only partially disclosing the contracts or for delays in the delivery of the vaccine.
This confirmation was made “because of the extremely high degree of public interest”. Further details would not be disclosed at this time.
What exactly the Public Prosecution Service is investigating remains unclear
In particular, a deal for up to 1.8 billion doses of Biontech/Pfizer from spring 2021 has been criticized for months. The contract volume was estimated at 35 billion euros at the time. As the “New York Times” reported, the personal contact between von der Leyen and Pfizer boss Albert Bourla determined the conclusion. They also allegedly exchanged text messages.
The EU commission denied journalists access to the text messages in question. According to a September report, the authority did not provide the European Court of Auditors with information about the transaction. European Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly strongly criticized the European Commission’s actions.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
