MURRAY RITCHIE

SCOTTISH POLITICAL EDITOR

DOUGAL Watt, the Scots whistleblower who made public his allegations of high-level corruption in the European Union, has been sacked.

Mr Watt was told last night - his 39th birthday - that his ''infractions'' were so great that they merited more than demotion from his (pounds) 50,000-a-year job as an accountant with the EU's court of auditors, the community's financial watchdog. He was informed in a letter to his Luxembourg home from Michel Herve, secretary general of the court, that his dismissal was ''appropriate''.

The move came as a surprise to Mr Watt, originally from Elgin, who had been led to believe last month that he was heading for demotion in return for an apology, after his case was considered by a disciplinary tribunal. He had claimed that senior figures in the court and in the European Commission had acted corruptly and his allegations had been supported by a majority of colleagues.

Mr Watt was suspended without pay last year after going into hiding in Scotland, claiming he was in danger of his life. He had alleged Mafia and masonic involvement inside the commission over tobacco subsidies and a cover-up of corrupt practices by the court of auditors.

He is the latest in a line of whistleblowers claiming evidence of high-level EU corruption to be sacked or demoted. News of his dismissal came last night after Neil Kinnock, one of Britain's EU commissioners, announced a major investigation into community fraud, although his inquiry covers mainly Eurostat, the EU's statistical division and not, apparently, Mr Watt's allegations.

Mr Watt had claimed systematic fraud was being covered up by powerful figures in Brussels. His complaints had their roots in the mysterious death 10 years ago of Antonio Quatraro, an Italian commission official, who fell or was pushed from an EU office block in Brussels after his alleged involvement with the Mafia was exposed. He had been suspended after being accused of taking bribes and reportedly dined the night before his death with a senior Mafia figure.

Mr Watt's job involved examining the aftermath of the Quatraro affair, and his findings led to doubts about senior figures. He lodged a dossier containing allegations about wrongdoing in high places and was sent on sick leave with a warning that he would be disciplined.

The EU's anti-fraud office later brought a legal action against Kalliopi Nikolaou, a Greek former member of the court of auditors who was the subject of one of his claims.

Mr Watt said last night: ''I will be appealing to the European Court of Justice. I have just seen the letter of dismissal and I am too shocked to say anything useful for the moment.''