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European Economic and Social Committee denies “witch hunt” for whistleblower detection
A little-known European Union body has been rocked by anonymous allegations of contract rigging by a senior official. The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), based in the heart of the EU institutions in Brussels and which provides non-binding policy advice, has forwarded the information to the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), which is now conducting an investigation.
In early March, a letter signed only by “EESC staff representatives” was sent to employees in their offices and private homes, accusing Isabelle Le Galo Flores, the organization’s secretary-general since 2024, of misusing public funds and channeling contracts to her friends and family.
The letter, signed as if by “staff representatives,” alleged that she had manipulated public contracts in favor of her friends. Attached was a photograph that allegedly showed Flores posing with tender winners.
“Ms. Le Galo Flores appears to treat the Committee as her private company,” the letter said.
Two days after the letters began circulating, EESC president Séamus Boland acknowledged their existence in an email to staff.
"I want everyone to know that I take this matter very seriously and that we are monitoring the situation closely. I am taking all appropriate measures with all competent authorities," he wrote.
Official staff representatives, organized into three unions, immediately distanced themselves from the letter, stating that they do not stand behind it, according to electronic correspondence seen by Euractiv.
In the weeks that followed, employees expressed concern that an internal investigation to uncover the potential whistleblower had gone too far. “Stop the witch hunt,” three unions wrote in a joint email circulated last week, claiming that emails and internet use had been reviewed, a step they called excessive and arbitrary.
“The atmosphere is really terrible,” one of the 700 employees told the Euractiv Rapporteur, adding “people are scared.”
An EESC spokesperson rejected these allegations, stating that the verification, now completed, “in no way involved access to staff email accounts or internet use .” The spokesperson added that OLAF has opened an investigation and that further comment is not appropriate at this stage.
OLAF has been contacted for a reaction.
The EESC spokesperson stressed that the matter had been “proactively forwarded immediately to OLAF by the president”. “As a result of this proactive approach, an OLAF review is now underway and further comments are not appropriate at this stage,” he added. /Adapted from Pamphlet /
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