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Question for written answer E-014200/2013 to the Commission Rule 117 Claude Turmes (Verts/ALE) Subject: The Rakhat Aliyev case and EU concern Police and prosecutors in Austria, Germany and Malta are investigating serious white collar crime accusations against Rakhat Aliyev, former Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Austria, former Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, former KGB director and former son- in-law of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The Austrian authorities have also launched a criminal inquiry against Mr Aliyev, who is suspected of abduction and murder. In November 2013 Mr Aliyev tried to open a bank account in Cyprus with an Austrian ‘Alien’s Passport’, which had in fact been annulled by the Ministry of the Interior in April 2013. The Austrian Ombudsman meanwhile ruled that the issuing of the passport to Mr. Aliyev had been unlawful, as was his residence permit. The EU- wide investigations into numerous criminal accusations against Mr Aliyev have been in progress for nearly three years in Austria and two years in Germany and Malta, without any development that could lead to legal proceedings. Is the Commission aware of the current status of EU-wide legal investigations against Rakhat Aliyev and is it monitoring the accusations against him? Does the Commission see any possibility of providing legal assistance to the national investigations with the expertise of Eurojust and Europol? Is the Commission aware of the potential damage to public confidence in EU justice when serious accusations of murder, corruption, money laundering and forgery of documents do not lead to legal proceedings? Is the Commission aware of the fact that unlawfully issuing a passport to Mr Aliyev effectively meant allowing a criminal suspect to travel freely in the European Union? 1013671.EN PE 525.843.

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