Kept in suspense

Alan Osborn and Keith Nuthall

Detailed allegations of irregularities in the budget of the European Commission made by its former chief accountant, Marta Andreasen, are expected to be heard by the European Parliament early in 2003 . Miss Andreasen was suspended by the Commission in August after her charges were made public earlier this year. The parliament’s budgetary control committee originally invited her to testify but this was blocked by the Council of Presidents of the Parliament on the grounds that an official cannot speak to another European institution if under disciplinary procedure.