According to the TV channel Mega TV, the scandal, for which the legislative body’s vice president, Eva Kaili, of the social democratic parliamentary caucus, along with another six people, could spill 60 European deputies as the investigation makes progress.
Those involved mostly make up the social democratic and conservative group and they are accused of accepting alleged bribes from Qatar to positively influence the European Chamber on opinions about that Arab country.
However, Germany’s Federal Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, called for preventing linking the party with the corruption case, in which at least 1.2 million Euros of the European Union (EU) relations with Qatar have already been confiscated.
In the Belgian media political experts also deal with the motives which could have given rise to the above-mentioned event in community structures.
For example, they speak about the fact that the UP lacks a specific apparatus to follow the crimes, although it gives lessons on how to fight the scourge to countries, such Hungary, which for it was prevented from getting 13 billion Euros of an anti-Covid-19 support program.
Likewise, its members could be at the same time European deputies or private aides, while European Commission officials, at the end of their term, could work for companies in areas investigated by them.
Neither are there rules to report on parliamentary meetings with representatives of other nations.
Perhaps because of that, in an attempt to wash its image, the European Chamber agreed on organizational measures, such as banning donations from third countries to European deputies and political parties.
In addition, an investigation commission was set up to deal with corruption cases by third States and another special commission about transparency. Meanwhile, the legislative body´s members should present a declaration of assets at the beginning and end of their term of office.
According to the daily Le Soir, the issue involves assistant Francesco Giorgi, Kaili´s sentimental partner, who was stripped of his parliamentary immunity.
The also head of the non-governmental organization No Peace Without Justice pleaded guilty, after more than a dozen police operations both in France and in Greece, and spoke of how he has controlled the bribery money for years.
The corruption scandal seems to pose a challenge to the EP, whose reputation as a model of democracy and the EU’s transparency is this time being questioned, when there are still some aspects to clarify about this new chapter of bribery and influence meddling.
Taken from Orbe
By Antonio Rondón
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