Source: Parliamentary Questions in Dutch
Questions from the member Omtzigt (CDA) to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister about the whistle-blower letter from Roelie Post. (submitted July 30, 2018)
1
Do you remember that in the answers to earlier parliamentary questions about Roelie Post, you answered: “In 2012, the Commission published new Guidelines for Whistleblowing (SEC 2012 679 final2) with the aim of effectively applying its own rules on reporting to improve and reinforce abuses and the protection of reporters/whistle-blowers, in which the European Commission endorses the importance of a clear procedure and protection for whistle-blowers. These Guidelines mention the obligation of members of staff to report serious wrongdoings or concerns. The Guidelines mention various internal and external channels (including the European Ombudsman) for employees who wish to make known suspicions of misconduct and deal with various issues such as protective measures. 1)
2
Do you remember that you also replied: “the government has taken note of the broadcast [of Argos about Roelie Post], the government was not familiar with all the aspects that were discussed in the broadcast”?
3
Of what aspects in the broadcast was the government not yet aware?
4
How do you judge the child trafficking which Mrs. Post fought?
5
Are you aware of the first two bullets in the Commission’s whistleblowing guidelines, which state:
• Members of staff have a duty to report serious irregularities.
• For this purpose, members or staff must have a choice between reporting and reporting channels for whistleblowing. The principal channel is the normal chain or hierarchical command. If staff consider it to be safer to bypass the normal chain or hierarchical command, they must be able to do so. Under certain conditions, staff may address their concerns to another EU institution as an option of last resort?
6
Do you share the view that these other EU institutions can be, for example, the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Ombudsman?
7
On or just after 12 February 2016, the Prime Minister received a letter of 88 pages from Roelie Post, addressed to Marin Schultz (then President of the European Parliament), which begins with “Dear President Schulz, Hereby I address myself to you whistle-blower, with the request for support and protection?
8
Did you read in this letter that it was addressed in the cc to “Dutch Presidency: Prime Minister Mark Rutte”?
9
Do you acknowledge that Mrs Roelie Post exactly followed the rules for whistle-blowers in 2016 by writing a letter to the Prime Minister, because the Netherlands was then President of the Council of the European Union?
10
Did you read the letter at the time? If so, when?
11
What actions have you taken in response to this letter? Can you be very precise on which dates you have taken which actions?
12
What actions are you going to take in this case?
13
Would you like to bring this matter to the attention of the First Vice-President of the Commission Frans Timmermans, who presented new rules for whistle-blowers in April with the words: “Whistle-blowers should not be punished anymore, but deserve protection”? Do you want to indicate what his reaction is?
14
Can you answer these questions one by one and within two weeks, since Roelie Post is now being fired by the European Commission?
1) Appendix to Proceedings, meeting year 2017-2018, no. 2524