European parliament bribery scandal: Huge quantities of money seized from highly effective politicians lobbying for Qatar

The European Parliament (EP), one of many a number of establishments of the European Union (EU), has been hit by allegations of corruption. Dubbed the ‘most egregious’ scandal in years, a number of sitting and ex-members of the EP have been accused of lobbying for Qatar.

The story unfolded on Friday (December 9) when the federal police in Belgium carried out raids within the capital metropolis of Brussels. A complete of 4 high-profile people have been arrested by the police over fees of corruption, prison organisation and cash laundering.

Phones, computer systems and a whopping pile of €600,000 in money (₹5.23 crores) have been additionally recovered. By Sunday (December 11), the regulation enforcement authorities seized an extra €1,50,000 from the residence of a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and arrested two extra accused.

🚨New press
600.000 seized on the dwelling of a suspect,
a number of hundred thousand euros in a suitcase in a Brussels hotelroom
150.000 euros in a flat belonging to a Member of the EP
6 people arrested/4 together with a member of EP beneath arrest.
Pre-trial Chamber on Wedn. pic.twitter.com/oXbw2KkGS1

— Eirini Zarkadoula (@ezarkadoula) December 12, 2022

In a information launch, the Belgian prosecutor’s workplace knowledgeable, “For several months, investigators from the Federal Judicial Police suspect a Gulf country of influencing the European Parliament’s (EP) economic and political decisions.”

It additional added, “This is done so by paying large sums of money or offering large gifts to third parties with a significant political and/or strategic position within the European Parliament.” The investigation into the case has reportedly been underway for the previous 4 months.

Although the preliminary assertion didn’t title ‘names’, it quickly got here to mild that the nation in query was the FIFA World Cup host Qatar. Investigators are actually probing whether or not the Gulf Nation engaged in ways in which went past ‘classic lobbying.’

Suspicion of corruption by Qatar: EU Parliament vice-president Eva Kaili has been arrestedhttps://t.co/ystOIoAV6M pic.twitter.com/Op1vprhk68

— Le Soir (@lesoir) December 9, 2022

One of these arrested by the Belgian federal police included a Vice-President of the European Parliament named Eva Kaili. It have to be talked about that she is a local of Greece and was a member of the main opposition social gathering within the nation, the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK).

She was expelled by PASOK over allegations of corruption and lobbying for Qatar. Eva Kaili was a member of the second-largest social gathering of the European Parliament, specifically, the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D).

Following her arrest, she was additionally suspended by the social gathering with fast impact. The improvement was confirmed by S&D in a tweet on Saturday (December 10).

The Socialists and Democrats group within the European Parliament has taken the choice to droop MEP Eva Kaili’s membership of the S&D Group with fast impact, in response to the continued investigations.

— S&D Group (@TheProgressives) December 9, 2022

It have to be talked about that Eva Kaili served as one of many 14 Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament. Known for her immense affect inside the EP, she had been one of many vocal cheerleaders of the authoritarian regime in Qatar.

When Qatar was confronted with criticism over its remedy of migrant employees within the run-up to the FIFA World Cup 2022, Eva Kaili defended the Middle Eastern nation because the “frontrunner in labour rights.” She had additionally met Qatar’s Labour Minister Dr Ali bin Samikh Al Marri in October this 12 months.

A month later, she claimed within the European Parliament that Qatar had undergone a ‘historical transformation’. She additionally prolonged assist for visa liberalisation for residents of Qatar and Kuwait.

التقى سعادة الدكتور علي بن صميخ المري، وزير العمل، مع سعادة السيدة إيفا كايلي، نائب رئيس البرلمان الأوروبي، حيث بحثا خلال اللقاء سبل تعزيز التعاون بمجالات العمل وتطويرها.#وزارة_العمل pic.twitter.com/mwxJIpJ8kW

— وزارة العمل (@MOLQTR) October 31, 2022

Reportedly, the Delegation for Relations With the Arab Peninsula (DARP) of the European Parliament was scheduled to go to Qatar earlier than the graduation of the World Cup and be aware of the match amenities and labour regulation adjustments.

However, the Shura Council (the consultative meeting of Qatar) requested DARP to postpone its plans. Eva Kaili went to Doha on her personal accord and claimed to signify 500 million European residents.

According to 1 Member of the European Parliament, Hannah Neumann, the rationale Qatar ‘uninvited’ DARP members and as an alternative Kaili was as a result of she can be ‘less critical’ of the nation’s affairs. She was reportedly caught with ‘bags of cash from Qatar.’

The different ‘players’ within the scandal

The Belgian federal police have additionally detained the companion of Kaili, Franceso Giorgi, who by the way labored as an adviser on North Africa and the Middle East within the European Parliament.

Giorgi can also be the founding father of an NGO named ‘Fight Impunity’ whose members are additionally beneath the scanner in connection to the scandal. One of them included the President of the NGO, Pier Antonio Panzeri.

Interestingly, Panzeri served as a former Member of the European Parliament (MEP). His arrest on Friday (December 9) was quickly adopted by the arrest of his daughter and spouse.

#Update: Just in – Reports that former Italian European parliament member Pier Antonio Panzeri, has been caught with as much as 500.000 Euros stashed in money in his home in #Brussels, #Belgium, after a large political #EU raid by Belgian police early within the morning for corruption. pic.twitter.com/gsDlAmoBSD

— Sotiri Dimpinoudis (@sotiridi) December 9, 2022

According to the German newspaper Politico, Panzeri’s arrest warrant talked about that he “intervened politically with members working at the European Parliament for the benefit of Qatar and Morocco.”

Similarly, the workplace of the aide of a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Belgium, Marie Arena, has additionally been sealed. “If Qatar is doing so, I know that others are doing exactly the same. And so we have to really prevent this kind of capacity to influence,” she mentioned in regards to the improvement.

She can also be recognized for her shut ties to the NGO of Kaili’s husband, Fight Impunity. Interestingly, the identical NGO has ties with one other NGO named ‘No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ)’.

In truth, the founding father of NPWJ, Emma Bonino, serves as an honorary board member of Fight Immunity. Coincidentally, each NGOs are registered on the identical deal with within the capital metropolis of Belgium.

The 4 individuals which arrest was confirmed are former MEP Panzeri & #FightImpunity NGOs, MEP & VP Eva Kaili, her boyfriend Francesco Giorgi and Niccolò Figà-Talamanca sec gen From @NpwjPress

These organisations are all at identical deal with subsequent to Park Royal (rue Ducale 41) pic.twitter.com/S9qF5W8rLg

— Umberto GAMBINI 🇪🇺🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇪🇺🇮🇹🇪🇺 (@UGambini) December 11, 2022

Bonino had additionally served as a former Member of the European Parliament. Amidst the continued investigation into allegations of corruption and lobbying, the Director General of ‘No Peace Without Justice’ named Niccolò Figà-Talamanca was additionally detained.

Besides members related to the 2 NGOs and the European Parliament, the secretary basic of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Luca Visentini was additionally detained.

He was later launched on Sunday (December 11) by the Belgian judicial authorities. ITUC has a historical past of not being important of Qatar’s remedy of migrant labourers.

Coincidentally, Luca Visentini had earlier served because the chief of an organisation named the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), the workplace of which in Brussels can also be registered on the identical deal with because the NGOs Fight Impunity and No Peace Without Justice.

Qatar dismisses allegations, European Parliament strikes to undo the harm

The Gulf nation of Qatar has been beneath the scanner within the run-up to the FIFA World Cup 2022 over its remedy of ladies, migrant labourers and other people figuring out as members of the LGBTQ+ group.

The Islamic nation is now accused of utilizing its riches to affect folks, holding strategic positions of energy within the European Parliament, altering diplomatic ties, and expediting power offers.

Until not too long ago, the EP was even deliberating on a proposal to grant visa-free journey to residents of Qatar to the Schengen Area (a set of 27 nations inside Europe that enables without spending a dime motion for each EU and non-EU nationals).

Today, the European Commission is proposing visa-free journey to the #European Schengen space for nationals of #Qatar and #Kuwait. The proposal must be endorsed by the European Parliament and the Council. https://t.co/HqcaX3PnAZ

— HF Corporation (@HFCorporation) April 27, 2022

In an announcement on Sunday (December 11), a Qatari official mentioned, “Any association of the Qatari government with the reported claims is baseless and gravely misinformed. The State of Qatar works through institution-to-institution engagement and operates in full compliance with international laws and regulations.”

Despite the try of the Gulf nation to brush the matter beneath the carpet, the European Parliament is mulling measures to undo the harm brought on to its fame and integrity.

The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) has urged the EP to halt the visa liberalisation course of for Qatari residents. Besides, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Parliament had cancelled its upcoming journey to Qatar.

Reactions to the scandal

In an announcement, the President of the European parliament Roberta Metsola knowledgeable, “Our European parliament stands firmly against corruption.”

She additional emphasised, “At this stage, we cannot comment on any ongoing investigations except to confirm that we have & will cooperate fully with all relevant law enforcement & judicial authorities. We’ll do all we can to assist the course of justice.”

Our @Europarl_EN stands firmly in opposition to corruption.

At this stage, we can not touch upon any ongoing investigations besides to verify that we have now & will cooperate totally with all related regulation enforcement & judicial authorities.

We’ll do all we will to help the course of justice.

— Roberta Metsola (@EP_President) December 10, 2022

In the aftermath of the lobbying scandal, Metsola had reportedly suspended all powers of Eva Kaili as Vice-President of the EP. The different members are additionally prone to revoke her parliamentary immunity quickly.

Danield Freund, a member of the European Parliament from the German Green social gathering, dubbed the controversy as “most serious corruption scandal in Brussels in recent decades.”

Let me get this straight:

The EU Parliament is the weakest hyperlink of the EU integrity system as a result of MEPs – nearly from ALL political teams however @GreensEFA – opposed it.

Now spare me the political theatre of MEPs reclaiming the paternity of the proposal for EU ethics committee https://t.co/iloKv6CI54

— Alberto Alemanno (@alemannoEU) December 12, 2022

“This is the most shocking integrity scandal in the history of the EU. It unveils the inadequacy of the EU ethics system applicable to its elected as well as the absence of any attempt at governing foreign influence lobbying,” transparency activist and Professor Alberto Alemanno advised Politico.