European Union Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly has launched an official inquiry into European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen regarding her private communications with various world leaders. According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, citing reports from the German publication Berliner Zeitung, the investigation focuses on encrypted messages exchanged via private platforms.
The inquiry stems from concerns over discussions held between von der Leyen and high-profile figures, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Reports indicate that the communications involved a closed group that included the German Chancellor, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Initial reports regarding the existence of these private exchanges surfaced in the media earlier this January.
The Dutch investigative organization Follow the Money previously submitted a formal request to the European Commission seeking public disclosure of these communications. However, the request was denied. The Commission justified its refusal by stating that releasing the correspondence could potentially harm the European Union's diplomatic relations with third countries.
Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly stated that her office will investigate how the European Commission handled the request, specifically examining whether the institution acted in accordance with EU legislation regarding public access to documents. This development is viewed as the latest in a series of controversies surrounding transparency and accountability within the European Commission's leadership.
The European Ombudsman is an independent and impartial body that holds EU institutions accountable. Its investigations into administrative malpractice are significant, as they often set precedents for how EU officials manage public records and transparency standards in their diplomatic engagements.
