Two members of new Euro team have crime records

A HUGE row has broken out over the new European Commission after it emerged two members have criminal convictions for financial irregularity, including the man responsible for anti-fraud.

French commissioner Jacques Barrot, who will head up the €1 billion EU Transport department, was found guilty in 2000 of diverting €3 million of state funds to his party’s coffers and was given an eight-month suspended sentence.

Estonian commissioner Siim Kallas was governor of his country’s central bank when $10m went missing. The lower courts found him not guilty of being involved but when it went to the supreme court they convicted him of a lesser charge of providing false information.

Mr Barrot has challenged the UK Independence Party (UKIP) to withdraw remarks it made about him, which included asking: “Would you buy a used car from this man?”

UKIP, which belongs to the same political group as Ireland South MEP Kathy Sinnott, has been warned they could face prosecution for their allegations.

UKIP MEP Nigel Farage accused the member states of sending “crooks, liars, communist lackeys and political failures” to serve as commissioners.

“The European Parliament is prepared to overlook the conviction of a senior member of the commission for embezzling government funds, and is prepared instead to threaten with arrest the person who reveals it,” he said.

The new commission has been dogged by controversy from its beginning.

After the European Parliament threatened to reject the first team, Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso was forced to fire the Italian and Latvian nominees and reshuffle the Hungarian commissioner.

He got a two-thirds majority in favour of his new line-up from the MEPs on Thursday and the new team, which includes former Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy, is due to take office on Monday.

Yesterday a spokesperson for Mr Barroso said: “He has full confidence in his team.” However, he admitted Mr Barroso did not know of Mr Barrot’s conviction before.

Mr Barrot, also a vice-president of the commission, denied claims he was barred from public office.