Three top police officials have been shortlisted to take on the top job of executive director at Europol, the European Union’s law enforcement agency, according to four people familiar with the selection process.
The list includes Jürgen Ebner, deputy director general and current acting director at Europol; Alicia Malo, the head of international cooperation at Spain’s national police force; and Linas Pernavas, director of Lithuania’s main anti-corruption law enforcement agency and an avid bodybuilder (his physique has drawn comparisons to actor and muscleman Jean-Claude Van Damme).
The European Commission on Wednesday unveiled plans to strengthen its law enforcement agency, which is based in The Hague, as the bloc seeks a tougher response to threats ranging from cyberattacks to hybrid aggression previously linked to Russia-backed actors.