Each system has a hidden small institution somewhere with the help of which it silences its unpopular critics. The EU has the Anti-Fraud Office OLAF and the latter does its best to make this very impression. The German journalist of the magazine “Stern” Hans-Martin Tillack criticized the proceedings against Hans-Peter-Martin in his latest book “The Corrupt Republic”. This case “makes the impression that the EU Anti-Fraud Office becomes particularly enthusiastic when it deals with EU-critics.”
There have been many attempts to criminalize Hans-Peter Martin, yet all of them failed. In 2006, shortly before the elections of the National Assembly in Austria, the OLAF-accusations of “severe fraud” and “unjust enrichment intent” popped up against him. The former socialist-democrat Parliamentarian Herbert Bösch had brought up an allegation. The information gained high popularity in public broadcasters and other mass media. The public prosecutor’s office immediately opened an investigation. Nothing could be found but the chance to be elected for the National Assembly was spoilt.
The OLAF-investigators did not even care to hear Hans Peter Martin before accusing him. He was notified through the print media. The latter regularly receive details concerning the content of cases under certain circumstances only. The former FAZ-journalist Hajo Friedrich openly speaks of “the impression that OLAF tries its best especially when it comes to unpopular Parliamentarians.“ Instead it “does not dare to publicly proceed” against “supposedly powerful Parliamentarians”.
Tillack himself was once a victim of OLAF. OLAF already searched his apartment and his offices in 2004. All this happened illegally, violated the freedom of the press, as the European Court for Human Rights concluded it later.
