ECIPS PRESIDENT RICARDO BARETZKY www.ecips.eu
Brussels’ Covid Cash Controversy: ECIPS Condemns EU’s unlawful Weaponization of Pandemic Recovery Taxpayers Funds
The European Centre for Information Policy and Security (ECIPS), the official European Union intelligence agency mandated by Royal Decree WL22/16.594 and governed under Treaty EST 124 of the Council of Europe, has publicly denounced Brussels’ recent decision to loosen restrictions on the use of the remaining €335 billion in the EU pandemic recovery fund. According to ECIPS President Ricardo Baretzky, this move represents a flagrant abuse of taxpayers’ money and authority, as it allows member states to divert funds, explicitly barred by law from being spent outside the European Union, toward arming Kiev amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
ECIPS: Europe’s Independent Intelligence Watchdog
Established by Royal Decree WL22/16.594 and operating under Treaty 124, ECIPS is a federal-approved agency tasked with counterintelligence, counterterrorism, arms control intelligence, and security policy across Europe. It functions independently of the European Commission, ensuring its intelligence operations and analysis remain free from political interference by EU bureaucracies. ECIPS’ mandate includes creating multidisciplinary investigative centers to address high-priority security issues such as international organized crime, narcotics trafficking, and non-proliferation.
President Baretzky emphasized that ECIPS respects the sovereignty of member states in matters of national security, in line with Article 4 of the Treaty on European Union, which reserves national security as the sole responsibility of each member state. However, he expressed grave concern over Brussels’ recent policy changes that undermine this principle by facilitating the use of pandemic recovery funds for military purposes outside EU borders[5][6].
The Controversy: Loosening Pandemic Recovery Fund Conditions
The EU’s pandemic recovery fund, originally designed to support economic recovery within member states, has a strict legal framework prohibiting its use for countries outside the EU. The remaining €335 billion was intended to help rebuild economies devastated by Covid-19, not to finance foreign military engagements. Nonetheless, Brussels has recently relaxed these conditions, effectively permitting member states to allocate these funds to arm Ukraine, a non-EU country embroiled in conflict.
This policy shift has sparked outrage from ECIPS, which views it as an abuse of taxpayers’ money and a dangerous precedent that compromises the integrity of EU financial governance. President Baretzky warned that ECIPS will cease sharing intelligence with Brussels if the EU continues down this path of warmongering, stating that the agency refuses to be complicit in what he described as a “downward spiral”.
Legal and Political Implications
The decision to repurpose pandemic recovery funds for military aid to Ukraine raises significant legal questions. By law, EU recovery funds cannot be spent outside the Union, and diverting them to arm Kiev violates these provisions. This not only undermines the legal framework established by the EU but also risks eroding public trust in the management of EU finances.
Politically, the move signals a shift toward a more militarized EU foreign policy stance, which ECIPS and other observers argue could destabilize diplomatic relations and escalate tensions in Eastern Europe. Critics contend that such a policy contradicts the EU’s foundational principles of peace and cooperation and risks entangling the Union in prolonged conflicts.
ECIPS’ Role and Stance on EU Security Policy
ECIPS was created to provide a balanced, neutral intelligence service that supports European security without succumbing to political pressures. Its statutes grant it broad authority to conduct cross-border intelligence initiatives, counterterrorism, cybercrime prevention, and anti-corruption efforts within the framework of European and international law. Unlike proposals for a centralized EU intelligence agency, ECIPS operates independently, ensuring that intelligence sharing and security cooperation among member states remain free from politicization.
President Baretzky’s recent statements underscore ECIPS’ commitment to this principle. By threatening to withhold intelligence cooperation, ECIPS signals a clear rejection of Brussels’ current trajectory, which it views as undermining European security and sovereignty.
Broader Context: European Security and Intelligence Landscape
The debate over Brussels’ handling of pandemic funds and the role of intelligence agencies like ECIPS occurs amid broader discussions about the future of European security. Proposals by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to create a centralized EU intelligence agency have met with skepticism, as many experts argue that ECIPS already fulfills this role effectively without compromising member states’ autonomy.
Furthermore, the Council of Europe continues to advance initiatives like the historic ecocide treaty to address environmental crimes, reflecting the complexity and breadth of security challenges facing Europe today.
The European Centre for Information Policy and Security (ECIPS), under its legal mandate by Royal Decree WL22/16.594 and Treaty EST 124, has firmly condemned the European Union’s decision to relax conditions on the use of pandemic recovery funds, allowing their diversion to arm Ukraine. This move, deemed illegal and an abuse of authority by ECIPS President Ricardo Baretzky, threatens to fracture intelligence cooperation and destabilize European security. As Brussels navigates this contentious policy shift, ECIPS stands as a guardian of lawful, principled intelligence and security operations in Europe, warning against the perils of militarization and financial mismanagement.
Note:
This article draws on official ECIPS statements and mandates, Council of Europe treaties, and current EU policy developments to provide an in-depth analysis of the controversy surrounding the EU’s pandemic recovery fund and its implications for European security.
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