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Reposted by Simon Van Dorpe

Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · 1d

⚖️ Collapsing cases, bribes, spies – 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞 & 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫, FTM data shows immunity waivers are falling while unresolved cases pile up. Why is Parliament growing more protective?

🔗 Read the latest newsletter on our website or app below:

www.ftm.eu/newsletters/...

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Reposted by Simon Van Dorpe

Follow the Money @ftm.nl · 2d

Wat bindt een Poolse oliebaron aan een Italiaanse activist die neonazi’s bestreed? Beiden ontliepen vervolging door de Europese politiek in te gaan. Vandaag beslist het parlement: blijft de bescherming staan of raken de politici hun get-out-of-jail-kaart kwijt? www.ftm.nl/artikelen/zo...

Zo lukt het dubieuze Brusselse politici om uit de cel te blijven

Wat heeft een Poolse oliebaron gemeen met een Italiaanse activist die het opnam tegen neonazi’s? Beiden ontsnapten aan hun aanklagers door de Europese politiek in te gaan. Brusselse politici doen vake...

www.ftm.nl

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Simon Van Dorpe @simonvandorpe.bsky.social · 13d

Impact EU antitrust announcement at 11:45 on #SAP share price. Looks like the company quickly recovered from a relatively small hit

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Reposted by Simon Van Dorpe

Simon Van Dorpe @simonvandorpe.bsky.social · 13d

🔥Breaking: EU Commission opens antitrust investigation into #SAP, Germany's largest (and Europe's second largest) company, for allegedly restricting competition in support services on its popular ERP software. Five years ago, I wrote this story for @politico.eu www.politico.eu/article/pres...

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Simon Van Dorpe @simonvandorpe.bsky.social · 13d

🔥Breaking: EU Commission opens antitrust investigation into #SAP, Germany's largest (and Europe's second largest) company, for allegedly restricting competition in support services on its popular ERP software. Five years ago, I wrote this story for @politico.eu www.politico.eu/article/pres...

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Reposted by Simon Van Dorpe

Martin Clavey @mart1oeil.eu · 14d

Nicolas Sarkozy déclaré coupable d’association de malfaiteurs dans l’affaire du financement libyen de sa campagne pour l’élection présidentielle de 2007

www.mediapart.fr/journal/fran...

Guéant et Hortefeux sont aussi déclarés coupables

Argent libyen de Sarkozy : suivez le dénouement du procès en direct

Le tribunal judiciaire rend jeudi sa décision dans l’affaire du financement libyen de la campagne de Nicolas Sarkozy pour l’élection présidentielle de 2007. Le parquet a requis sept ans de prison et …

www.mediapart.fr

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Reposted by Simon Van Dorpe

Lise Witteman @lise-witteman.bsky.social · 16d

Europe’s public bank rocked by conflicts of interest and favouritism - yet again..

Our Brussels newsletter is out!
@simonvandorpe.bsky.social www.ftm.eu/articles/bur...

Europe’s public bank rocked by conflicts of interest and favouritism yet again

Follow the Money - Platform for investigative journalism

www.ftm.eu

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Simon Van Dorpe @simonvandorpe.bsky.social · 22d

Many ask why the platform I work for is called Follow the Money. The answer lies in this iconic scene with the late #RobertRedford. It inspired our founders @arnevanderwal.bsky.social and Eric Smit to start @ftm.nl 15 years ago. ⏩ Jump to 2:30 if you're short on time

Follow the Money - All the President's Men (4/9) Movie CLIP (1976) HD

YouTube video by Movieclips

www.youtube.com

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Simon Van Dorpe @simonvandorpe.bsky.social · 27d

I was just accidentally added to a chat group of politicians but I was too honest and have already been removed. There goes my Pulitzer 😞

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Simon Van Dorpe @simonvandorpe.bsky.social · 29d

And what does private equity have to do with this, @ec.europa.eu ?

Simon Van Dorpe @simonvandorpe.bsky.social · 29d

Indeed, nice words that are hard to rhyme with how Ursula von der Leyen runs the European Commission. The lack of self-criticism and the double standards are blinding

Peter Teffer @peterteffer.bsky.social · 29d

Von der Leyen says "informed citizens who can trust what they read and hear are essential to keep those-in-power accountable", and that the press should remain free.

You know what would help?

A Commission that actually answers questions (on-record) and handles access to documents requests quicker.

Honourable Members,

In some communities across Europe, traditional media are struggling.

In many rural areas, the days of going out for a local paper is a nostalgic memory.

This has created many news deserts where disinformation thrives.

And this is very dangerous for our democracy.

Because informed citizens who can trust what they read and hear are essential to keep those-in-power accountable.

And when independent media are dismantled or neutralised, our ability to monitor corruption and preserve democracy is severely weakened.

This is why the first step in an autocrat's playbook is always to capture independent media.

Because this enables backsliding and corruption to happen in the dark.

So we need to do more to protect our media and independent press.

This is why we will launch a new Media Resilience Programme – it will support independent journalism and media literacy.

But we also need to invest to address some of the root causes of this trend.

This is why in the next budget, we have proposed to significantly boost funding for media.

We also need to enable private equity.

We will therefore use our tools to support independent and local media.

A free press is the backbone of any democracy.

And we will support Europe's press to remain free.

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Reposted by Simon Van Dorpe

Simon Van Dorpe @simonvandorpe.bsky.social · Sep 4

🔥 Laura Kövesi, the first European Chief Prosecutor, has locked horns with EU institutions and powerful political figures. Insiders question if her successor, whose appointment process is in full swing, will continue to crack the whip.

✅ Free to read today on @ftm.eu ⤵️

www.ftm.eu/articles/eu-...

EU’s chief prosecutor goes head-to-head with Brussels elite over corruption fight

In its fight against fraud and corruption, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) has locked horns with EU institutions and powerful political figures. Under Laura Codruța Kövesi, its uncompro...

www.ftm.eu

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Reposted by Simon Van Dorpe

Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · Sep 4

Great, incisive profile of a figure who certainly has ruffled feathers in Brussels. Many great details. Don't miss it.

Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · Sep 4

EU Chief Prosecutor Laura Codruța Kövesi has shone a spotlight not only on misconduct in member states, but also on influential figures in Brussels – including none other than Ursula von der Leyen. So with her mandate coming to an end, some fear that her replacement may be a safer political choice.

EU’s chief prosecutor goes head-to-head with Brussels elite over corruption fight

In its fight against fraud and corruption, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) has locked horns with EU institutions and powerful political figures. Under Laura Codruța Kövesi, its uncompro...

www.ftm.eu

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Reposted by Simon Van Dorpe

Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · Sep 4

EU Chief Prosecutor Laura Codruța Kövesi has shone a spotlight not only on misconduct in member states, but also on influential figures in Brussels – including none other than Ursula von der Leyen. So with her mandate coming to an end, some fear that her replacement may be a safer political choice.

EU’s chief prosecutor goes head-to-head with Brussels elite over corruption fight

In its fight against fraud and corruption, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) has locked horns with EU institutions and powerful political figures. Under Laura Codruța Kövesi, its uncompro...

www.ftm.eu

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Simon Van Dorpe @simonvandorpe.bsky.social · Sep 4

🔥 Laura Kövesi, the first European Chief Prosecutor, has locked horns with EU institutions and powerful political figures. Insiders question if her successor, whose appointment process is in full swing, will continue to crack the whip.

✅ Free to read today on @ftm.eu ⤵️

www.ftm.eu/articles/eu-...

EU’s chief prosecutor goes head-to-head with Brussels elite over corruption fight

In its fight against fraud and corruption, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) has locked horns with EU institutions and powerful political figures. Under Laura Codruța Kövesi, its uncompro...

www.ftm.eu

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Simon Van Dorpe @simonvandorpe.bsky.social · Aug 27

@ftm.eu's crime and corruption newsletter is back after a revitalising summer break 🔥

Today:

✅ Belgium’s top prosecutor on corruption probes
✅ A tour of Europe of this summer's corruption news
✅ ING under criminal scrutiny in Didier Reynders probe

Read it here ⤵️

www.ftm.eu/newsletters/...

Top Belgian prosecutor seeks resources to fight international corruption

Follow the Money - Platform for investigative journalism

www.ftm.eu

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Reposted by Simon Van Dorpe

Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · Aug 21

The former president of the European Commission still holds office at his old headquarters, where he regularly receives prominent guests. According to the Kazakh government, he also offered help as go-between. Jean-Claude Juncker himself denies this, claiming that he is “immune” to influence.

Former EU boss keeps office in von der Leyen’s building – and allows his guests to lobby in secret

Years after stepping down as head of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker still meets with lobbyists and foreign diplomats in the Berlaymont, the EU executive’s seat in Brussels. He holds regu...

www.ftm.eu

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Reposted by Simon Van Dorpe

Alexander Fanta @alexfanta.bsky.social · Aug 1

🧨 New revelation in the Pfizergate affair over Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen’s texts with the Pfizer CEO.

The European Commission admitted to the New York Times this week that it lost the texts only after I made an official request for them.

🧵

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Reposted by Simon Van Dorpe

Dan McCrum @mccrum.bsky.social · Jul 22

AFP says its journalists are starving to death in Gaza

'We refuse to see them die': AFP addresses about journalists' risk of starvation in Gaza

www.haaretz.com

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Reposted by Simon Van Dorpe

Lise Witteman @lise-witteman.bsky.social · Jul 22

FTM's new PODCAST is out!

Behind the scenes of the Huawei bribery scandal with the investigative journalists who unraveled the story: @simonvandorpe.bsky.social and @alexfanta.bsky.social

@ftm.eu

www.ftm.eu/articles/pod...

Podcast | Inside the Huawei corruption scandal that rocked Brussels

The Huawei corruption scandal has cast a long shadow over Brussels. Several individuals have been charged over allegations that lobbyists for the Chinese tech giant bribed members of the European Pa...

www.ftm.eu

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Simon Van Dorpe @simonvandorpe.bsky.social · Jul 17

I had the same feeling with commentators who've been predicting the crash of the Chinese economy for decades

Simon Van Dorpe @simonvandorpe.bsky.social · Jul 17

Chairman Trump is the red Sun in our hearts! With him, everything. Without him, nothing.

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Simon Van Dorpe @simonvandorpe.bsky.social · Jul 16

At @ftm.eu, we obviously hope the next 🇪🇺 budget will be more transparent, but the way @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu said it, was not entirely convincing

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Simon Van Dorpe @simonvandorpe.bsky.social · Jul 14

📣 The European Parliament wants EPPO candidate Peter Klement to lead European anti-fraud office OLAF. The order still needs to be endorsed by EU countries (should not be an obstacle, I’m told). The Commission will have the final say, but this order will be hard to ignore

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Simon Van Dorpe @simonvandorpe.bsky.social · Jul 14

🔥 NEWS from the Didier Reynders investigation ⤵️

Follow the Money EU @ftm.eu · Jul 14

Belgian police searched the home of a long-time adviser to ex-EU Commissioner Didier Reynders. At the centre of the case: over 1 million euros in suspicious cash flows – part of which were allegedly laundered through lottery wins. Reynders faces pressure to prove the money’s legal origin.

Ex-EU justice chief’s right-hand man targeted in money laundering probe

Follow the Money - Platform for investigative journalism

www.ftm.eu

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