Shielding European prosecutors from political pressure protects shared budget

Writing in Euronews, former Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou called for stronger institutional safeguards to protect the independence of the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO). His intervention follows recent warnings from EPPO's outgoing chief, Laura Kövesi, regarding political pressure facing investigations in Greece.

Sceptics of supranational legal oversight reasonably argue that criminal prosecution is a core national responsibility that must respect domestic judicial traditions. National courts and prosecutors are, in normal circumstances, closest to the law and the citizens they serve.

Yet when European taxpayers contribute to a common budget, protecting those joint resources against fraud and corruption requires an independent defender operating without domestic political hindrance. Relying entirely on national authorities to police political interference in their own jurisdictions creates an evident vulnerability.

Insulating European prosecutors from political pressure is not an infringement on sovereignty. It is a pragmatic, necessary measure to ensure that shared funds across all member states are protected with equal vigour.