Developing Story
In what is being called the biggest corruption probe in the European Parliament yet, prosecutors in Brussels and the E.U. have since sealed offices and raided houses belonging to European Parliament officials since Friday. Law enforcement in Brussels seized phones computers and euros in cash amounting to US$631,800.00 on Friday. Prosecutors said they had suspected for months that a Gulf state was trying to buy influence in Brussels. Officials and staff are now reportedly being investigated for intervening politically for the benefit of Qatar and Morocco.
Five people and still counting have been arrested and charged with “participation in a criminal organization, money laundering, and corruption,” prosecutors said in a statement on Sunday. Greek and Italian officials, as well as non-governmental organizations based in Europe but with operations in the Middle East and North Africa, are alleged to be a part of a network that accepted material and financial gifts to support Qatar’s bid to become the host of the FIFA World Cup 2022.
The corruption scandal under investigation in Brussels is shining a light on the extent of lobbying by Qatar ahead of the World Cup, triggering calls for more oversight of European policymaking. Accusations of bribery in the bidding process and slave-like conditions for foreign workers cast doubt on the Qatar choice, and liberal critics seized on the moment to attack the conservative Muslim country’s position on women’s and LGBTQ+ rights.
The biggest name involved so far is Greek socialist and one of Parliament’s 14 vice presidents Eva Kaili, who gave praise to the emirate’s labor reforms. In her European Parliament speech on November 21st as the World Cup was starting, Kaili said: “Qatar is a frontrunner in labor rights.”
“They committed to a vision by choice and they opened to the world. Still, some here are calling to discriminate against them. They bully them and they accuse everyone that talks to them or engage (with them) of corruption,” Kaili said.
Also Pier Antonio Panzeri, an Italian ex-Member of the European Parliament also from a member of the center-left Socialist & Democrat (S&D) party, his wife, and daughter were also nabbed by Italian police for “intervening politically with members working at the European Parliament for the benefit of Qatar and Morocco.”
According to reports, parliamentary aides and assistants, mostly tied to European registered non-governmental organizations working in the middle east and north Africa, Fight Impunity and No Peace Without Justice. Also named are representatives from organizations such as the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), and the European Trade Union Confederation.
According to Politico, The Qatar scandal could be “the most egregious case” of alleged corruption Parliament has seen in years, said Transparency International chief Michiel van Hulten. Alberto Alemanno, a law professor at HEC Paris, called it the “most shocking integrity scandal in the history of the EU.”
“Certainly the news is very worrisome,” European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters as he arrived at a meeting of EU foreign ministers. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the “full force of law” had to be brought to bear in the case. “This is about the credibility of Europe, so this has to trigger consequences in various areas,” she said.
A source with knowledge of the case said the state was Qatar. A Qatari official denied at the weekend accusations of possible misconduct. “Any association of the Qatari government with the reported claims is baseless and gravely misinformed,” the official said.
Some European diplomats told Reuters last month that pressure to maintain good ties with Qatar was increasing as the continent headed towards a winter of energy shortages because of the war in Ukraine.
