The European Ombudsman has criticized European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for taking a free summer vacation at the home of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Crete.
Von der Leyen’s 2023 vacation drew condemnation from former MEP Sophie In’t Veld. She requested access to documents related to the trip from the European Commission and later filed a complaint with the European Ombudsman.
In’t Veld pointed out that the EU executive “ignored” important political issues related to Greece, including migration policy, the investigation into the migrant boat tragedy, the spyware scandal and the Greek government’s interference with independent oversight bodies.
The European Ombudsman’s office published its findings on November 25. Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly stated that the delay in providing information about the trip was “improper administration” and that the Commission’s actions, including a year-long delay in responding to requests, were “inexplicable” and in violation of the law.
Last year, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was also criticized for vacationing in Morocco during the formation of a coalition government.
