The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) have defeated allegations relevant to claims that the Palestinian National Authority used EU assistance in illegal activities.
"There is no evidence that funds from the non-targeted EU Direct Budget Assistance to the Palestinian Authority have been used to finance illegal activities, including terrorism," OLAF said in a press release issued Tuesday in Brussels, cited by WAFA news agency.
"This is the provisional assessment which the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) gave today, August 10, 2004, in reaction to a number of media reports on the matter," OLAF said, and added, "OLAF emphasizes however that the investigations are still ongoing, therefore final conclusions can not yet be drawn".
Alleged irregularities with the non-targeted Direct Budgetary Assistance paid by the EU to the Palestinian Authority between 2000 and 2002 have been subject to an external investigation by OLAF.
The European Anti-Fraud Office focused on allegations that European funds were misused to finance "terrorism" and on the systems and control mechanisms operating within the program of Direct Budget Assistance, according to OLAF.
This analysis is in line with the declarations already made by OLAF during a meeting of a special Working Group of the European Parliament on March 10, 2004. (menareport.com)
© 2004 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
