Swedish Match letter to Politico: “A bribe offer was put forward to us by a person claiming to be close to the former health commissioner. We deemed it credible…we had no alternative but to inform the Commission.”
Swedish Match has written to the Brussels-based online journal Politico in response to an article called ‘Dalligate – Frame by Frame’, which was published on 12 May.
The tobacco company’s letter, which was published yesterday, is reproduced below.
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Swedish Match’s role in ‘Dalligate’
Thank you for the article about former health commissioner John Dalli (“Dalligate — Frame by frame,” May 12).
In order to avoid misunderstandings among readers and regulators I humbly and respectfully would like to clarify one crucial detail.
The online article states that Swedish Match attempted to offer a bribe to lift the ban on exports of Swedish snus to the EU. This is completely untrue and is not consistent with either our statements or the investigation conducted by the EU’s anti-corruption unit, OLAF. On the contrary, we chose to report an offer we considered remarkable and improper.
I am aware that a few NGOs and individual members of the European parliament actively try to create conspiracy theories with the aim to discredit us, but nevertheless it is unequivocal false to claim that we ever wanted, tried or made an offer.
A bribe offer was put forward to us by a person claiming to be close to the former health commissioner. We deemed it credible, unfortunately. In line with our internal policy and our culture, we had no alternative but to inform the Commission. It was up to the Commission to decide whether further investigations were necessary.
Their decisions, procedures, investigation and the consequences thereof, we have not had any insight into or influence over. We were then asked to hand over any and all related information and materials we possess in this matter to OLAF. During the OLAF investigation, we also submitted ourselves to lengthy interviews with full transparency, full disclosure and full cooperation.
In addition, we never asked for or had any cooperation with the above mentioned “friend” or associate of the former commissioner.
That said, we are not aware of what knowledge, evidence or information, beyond that provided by ourselves, eventually formed the basis for the conclusions drawn by OLAF in this matter.
At no point in time we have had any illusions that we would benefit or gain anything by informing the Commission about the bribe offer. Rather the contrary, whistleblowers very seldom come out favorably, in particular if the whistleblower is a company within a controversial sector.
In addition, Swedish Match did not benefit from any delays in the revision process. Swedish Match has waited for 12 years for the revision to happen.
Patrik Hildingsson
Vice President, Communications and Public Affairs
Swedish Match AB
Stockholm