Khaberni - Members of the European Parliament called for involving European Union institutions in the investigation of the Epstein scandal.
The head of the Security and Defense Affairs Committee at the European Parliament, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, a member of the German Free Democratic Party, said in remarks to the German newspaper "Handelsblatt": "European institutions such as the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) and the EU bodies responsible for combating money laundering should immediately and systematically assess available data and closely cooperate with international partners, wherever necessary," adding that cross-border networks can only be detected effectively through joint cooperation.
After the recent publication of documents related to the Epstein case, former European government officials are now under scrutiny by authorities due to financial entanglements with the sexual offender.
Investigations are being conducted against the former British Economics Minister Peter Mandelson on suspicion that he shared sensitive information with Epstein during the financial crisis. In France, authorities are examining accusations of potential tax evasion by former Culture Minister Jack Lang.
The Vice President of the Greens group in the European Parliament, Sergi Lagodinsky, believes it is essential to handle the scandal at a European level, saying in statements to the same newspaper: "The presence of reliable indicators of cross-border crimes or money laundering or political influence must not remain a purely national matter... When there are cross-border financial flows or organized structures, a coordinated assessment by Europol and EU bodies combating money laundering would be prudent,” explaining that this would complement investigations conducted at the national level under clear parliamentary oversight.
Strack-Zimmermann stated that what has been revealed so far in the Epstein case "raises serious questions that should not be limited by continental and national borders," adding that if it is proven that decision-makers in politics or economics were influenced through blackmail or coercion, or that financial transactions were based on this, it represents "also a security policy issue for Europe."
Strack-Zimmermann added that if there are also indications of a deliberate foreign influence operation, it would be concerning, saying, "We know that there are authoritarian regimes systematically looking for vulnerabilities in individuals to destabilize democracies from within."
The American millionaire Jeffrey Epstein, who died in 2019, managed a network of sexual assaults over the years that victimized dozens of young women and girls, while at the same time maintaining close relationships with high circles in politics, economics, and science.
