Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Fee, regardless of being reelected for a second time period, is having a tough time these days, each legally and by way of her personal well being.
To start with, she is haunted by the ghost of Pfizergate: a courtroom in Liege, Belgium, is about to evaluation whether or not von der Leyen has authorized immunity towards corruption fees associated to the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines.
This session is scheduled for the historic day of January 20, 2025, and the Belgium courtroom determined that the case is to proceed as deliberate, denying von der Leyen’s bid to postpone it – you’ll be able to learn on Gateway Hispanic.
The European Commissioner is going through vital authorized scrutiny concerning the mishandling of COVID-19 vaccine contracts, with the Basic Courtroom of the European Union already ruling that von der Leyen’s Fee was not clear sufficient concerning the Pfizer contracts.
There’s additionally authorized curiosity within the ‘secret’ textual content messages exchanged between her and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla through the negotiation of the contracts.
So, because the authorized challenges mount in regards to the Commissioner’s transparency, potential maladministration, and allegations of secretive negotiations, on prime of that, she out of the blue grew to become unwell and was hospitalized in secrecy.
The European Fee has needed to scramble to disclaim in the present day (13) that lined up the well being points plaguing von der Leyen after it grew to become identified that she was hospitalized with extreme pneumonia.
Associated Press reported:
“Von der Leyen, 66, is the EU’s most high-profile political determine. In September, she marked the beginning of her second five-year time period as fee president by touring to Ukraine after which to South America for a serious commerce assembly.
On Jan. 3, the fee had stated von der Leyen was unwell with ‘extreme pneumonia’ and that her appointments for the following two weeks had been canceled. It stated her agenda was cleared of conferences in Lisbon and in Poland, which has simply taken over the EU’s rotating presidency.”
German information company dpa finally reported that she had been admitted to the hospital, once more elevating questions on lack of transparency on the EU’s government department.
“Requested by reporters why information of her hospitalization had been withheld, fee spokesperson Paula Pinho stated: ‘We stated that the president had extreme pneumonia. We stated that she was coping with extreme sickness’ at her residence within the German metropolis of Hannover.”
Media was knowledgeable that she had canceled her appointments in early January however was taking vital cellphone calls.
“’We due to this fact gave you the essential details about the well being standing of the president, by saying what illness she had, and the way critical it was’, Pinho stated in response to questions from a number of reporters, with out explaining why the hospital particulars have been withheld. ‘Her capacity to behave was by no means in query’.”
Von der Leyen reportedly spent eight days within the hospital, from June 2-10, and it’s stated to be ‘recovering effectively’, due again in Brussels on the finish of this week.
“The previous German protection minister often retains a punishing journey schedule. She is because of attend a European Parliament session in Strasbourg, France, subsequent week and can journey to the World Financial discussion board in Davos, Switzerland.”
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