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Green politician Giegold: "Europol is currently far too weak in terms of personnel and finances"
Photo: FRANCOIS WALSCHAERTS / AFP
The assassination attempt on the Dutch crime reporter Peter R. de Vries caused horror across national borders.
On the second day after the attack, the journalist is still in critical condition.
There are now new demands from politics for the establishment of a European criminal investigation office.
The German government should request a proposal from the EU Commission, said the Green MEP Sven Giegold of the news agency dpa.
Drug deals are a European, not a Dutch problem.
It is high time that Europe became more resistant to cross-border organized crime.
"We need a European FBI," said Giegold.
Evidence suggests that organized crime may be behind the attack on de Vries.
From the point of view of the Green politician, a European criminal investigation office could be developed from the already existing European police authority Europol.
The criminal investigation office must be able to act on its own initiative.
"Europol is currently far too weak in terms of personnel and finances," criticized Giegold.
The agency's budget is currently only 2.2 percent of the budget of the US Federal Police FBI.
Just 65 people dealt with economic and financial crime at Europol.
That is completely inadequate.
De Vries was gunned down on Tuesday evening after leaving a TV studio in the middle of Amsterdam.
Two men were caught just hours after the crime.
They were supposed to be brought before a magistrate this Friday.
It is suspected that the crime may have been linked to a major criminal case against gang leader Ridouan Taghi currently being conducted in Amsterdam.
De Vries has been the confidante of key witness Nabil B.
The idea of upgrading Europol to an independent European criminal investigation office has been around for a long time.
It is also supported by FDP politicians, for example.
fek / dpa