For the EPO to Survive, António Campinos and the "Alicante Mafia" Must Fall on Their Sword
After "Cocainegate", or even before it, EPO staff had already suffered enough under Benoît Battistelli and his French buddy António Campinos, who staff insist is also an integral part of "Cocainegate" (not just because he's working behind the scenes to hide it along with Team Battistelli, e.g. Roberta Romano-Götsch, whom we contacted).
As the series unfolds we encourage readers to contact their national media and ask assertively (but politely) why it's ignoring EPO corruption. Is it timid because of SLAPPs (some admitted this to us)?
We don't believe Campinos can survive this year. He must be having his doubts as well. As for Herr Ernst, stay tuned, we'll talk about him at a different point. Now in his 70s, he has his share of skeletons in his closet - he'd rather take them to the grave.
Later this week the staff goes on strike. It won't be the last. There are many more to come.
There are EPO insiders who are convinced Campinos too is (or was) a cocaine addict. They met him in person. We'll cover this next month.
We continue to hear from whistleblowers. They only require anonymity. "Feel free to quote from this email," one of them said, "if it assists you in your work while please ensuring I stay anonymous."
We have always succeeded at protecting sources. Since 2006.
"I wish you all the best for everything you encounter," one message told us, "and I am positive you will be successful."
So far we're on the right track and it's good to see staff participating in industrial action. Do it! It helps!
For the President of the European Patent Office to withstand scrutiny from the governing body of the European Patent Organisation he'll probably be tempted to bribe them some more. But wouldn't that merely deepen the corruption and the crisis? █
