The European Parliamentthe only community institution whose members are elected by direct suffrage, has been at the center of an alleged plot of bribes y influence peddling announced last Friday by the Belgian authorities. The case has so far claimed the arrest of four people, including one of the 14 vice-presidents of the European Parliament, the Greek Social Democrat Eva Kailiwhom they accuse of belonging to criminal organization, corruption and money laundering. A whole political earthquake that would have its origin in Qatar and to which the rest of the European institutions look with fear and absolute concern for the repercussions that it could have on the confidence of the citizens, a year and a half from the next European elections.
“The accusations against the Vice-President of the European Parliament are extremely worrying, very serious, it is a matter of citizens’ trust in our institutions and this trust requires the highest standards of independence and integrity”, acknowledged the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyenduring a press conference on energy security in which he recalled that a few months ago he already launched an inter-institutional process to discuss with the rest of the institutions the possibility of creating an independent body for ethic for all institutions.
“It is important to have clear rules so that we all have the same control mechanisms”, he limited himself to responding, recalling that the Community Executive already has a register of transparency that obliges all the high positions of the house to notify with whom they meet in the framework of their work. In the spotlight these days is also the vice president Margaritis Schinas, who traveled to Doha to attend the opening of the Soccer World Cup which hosts Qatar until December 18 and whom the European left has criticized for having multiplied its meetings and praise for the Emiratis. Von der Leyen has limited himself to explaining that the Commission “is transparent”, that it works with Qatar on all kinds of issues, including the purchase of liquefied natural gas or the fight against climate change, and that they are verifying “every detail” of the transparency record.
“It’s very, very worrying,” says Borrell
The concern, in any case, has gone deep and has also reached the headquarters of the Council. “This is very, very worrying news,” admitted the head of European diplomacy, Joseph Borrell, upon arrival at a meeting of foreign ministers. “We are very concerned by this news, but I have to act in accordance not only with the facts, but with the evidence,” he added, insisting that the case does not affect them, referring to the foreign action service he directs. The German minister has also shown concern about the events Annalena Baerbock because it is a scandal “incredible” that “has to be clarified” because “the credibility of Europe” is at stake.
For his Austrian colleague Alexander Schallenger it would be a “real scandal if it is proven to be true” while the French Catherine Colonna He trusts that it will be clarified because it is a “particularly serious” matter. “We need to get to the bottom. It is a scandal that must be cleared up so that it does not happen again”, the Irishman has also claimed, Simon Coveney. And, apart from the judicial investigation launched in Belgium, the first explanations are expected this week in the Eurochamber.
Decisions in Strasbourg
So far the police operation and judicial system has resulted in a series of searches, the seizure of 600,000 euros as well as computer equipment and telephones, as well as four detainees, Kaili, her partner, the parliamentary assistant Francesco Giorgi, the former Italian MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, and the person in charge of the NGO Fight Impunity, according to Ansa. Two other people arrested on Friday, Kaili’s father, who was stopped by the police with a suitcase with money in cash, and the president of the International Trade Union Confederation, Luca Visentini, were finally released.
The outbreak of the scandal coincides with the last plenary session of the year in strasbourg where there will be a debate and new decisions in relation to Kaili and Qatar. The president of the European Parliament has already announced the withdrawal of powers and powers from Kaili and the next step could be her dismissal as vice president, which must be approved by the plenary session and which has already been requested by the group of European social democrats, as well as the return to the parliamentary commission of the report on the liberalization of visas for Qataris, which exempts them from the process for stays of less than 90 days, and which was to be voted on this week in plenary session.