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John Dalli, seen here at a news conference in July, rejects the findings against him |
The EU
commissioner for health, John Dalli, has resigned after an anti-fraud inquiry
linked him to an attempt to influence tobacco legislation.
The EU's
anti-fraud office (Olaf) found that a Maltese businessman had tried to use his
contacts with Mr Dalli, who is also Maltese, for financial gain.
This
businessman had tried to influence future EU legislation on tobacco products,
the European Commission said.
Mr Dalli
categorically rejected the investigation's findings, it added.
Commission
Vice-President Maros Sefcovic will take over the Mr Dalli's duties on an
interim basis until a new commissioner of Maltese nationality is appointed, the
commission said.
'Snus
offer'
According
to the commission, the tobacco producer Swedish Match complained in May that a
Maltese entrepreneur had used his contacts with Mr Dalli to try to gain
financial advantages from the company.
This
entrepreneur had allegedly offered in return to influence a possible future legislative
proposal on tobacco products, in particular on the EU export ban on snus, a
smokeless tobacco taken orally.
No
transaction was concluded between the company and the entrepreneur and no
payment was made, the commission said.
Olaf
"did not find any conclusive evidence of the direct participation of Mr
Dalli but did consider that he was aware of these events", it said.
According
to the commission, the case has not affected its decision-making process.
It said
that the Olaf's final report and its recommendations were being sent to the
attorney-general of Malta, and it was up to the Maltese judiciary to decide how
to proceed.
Mr Dalli,
64, became the EU's commissioner for health and consumer policy in 2010.
His
official biography shows that his career in Maltese politics stretches back
more than a quarter of a century.
First
elected an MP in 1987 for the centre-right Nationalist Party, he was a cabinet
minister in several governments, serving as finance minister three times.
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