CNN
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The European Union has spent the past few days staggering from one of the worst scandals Hit Brussels for decades.
Belgian police said late last week that they had carried out a raid and arrested four people in connection with an ongoing corruption probe into alleged payments and gifts from Qatar to members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and their staff.
Belgian public broadcaster and CNN affiliate RTBF, citing the Public Prosecutor’s Office, said the investigation aimed to “influence the economic and political decisions of the European Parliament” through money and gifts. It reportedly targets alleged “corruption” and “money laundering” activities by organized groups. .
The most prominent of those arrested was Greek MP Eva Kairi, one of the 14 vice-presidents of parliament at the time of her arrest, who was later stripped of her role. I was. Qatar and Kairi have denied any wrongdoing.
Kairi did not attend a hearing scheduled for Wednesday and has been detained until he appears in court on December 22, Belgium’s federal prosecutor’s office said Wednesday.
Federal prosecutors confirmed on Wednesday that a “massive investigation” had been conducted into alleged criminal conduct, corruption and money laundering activities within the European Parliament. Kairi and his three others were arrested on Friday in an ongoing corruption probe conducted by the Belgian Federal Prosecutor’s Office into alleged Qatar payments and gifts to members of parliament and staff.
Kairi, who delivered a speech in defense of Qatar at the European Parliament, visited Qatar just before the football World Cup kicked off.
Kaili in response to allegations of human rights violations and criticism of Qatar over its treatment of migrant workers told MEP November 21: “Today, the FIFA World Cup in Qatar is a real proof of how sports diplomacy can lead to historic transformation of a country whose reforms have impacted the Arab world…Qatar is a leader in workers’ rights.”
The Belgian Federal Police on Wednesday released an image on its official Twitter account that it said was part of the cash seized as part of the investigation.
“As part of the Federal Prosecutor’s Office’s case regarding alleged corruption by people active in the European Parliament, the Federal Judicial Police seized around 1.5 million euros during a search carried out in the Brussels area,” the Belgian Federal Police said in a tweet. rice field.
The scandal rocked Brussels, but for those who knew European institutions, especially parliament, the allegations came as no big surprise.
“Parliament has tolerated a culture of impunity for years,” says Nicolas Iosa, deputy director of the anti-corruption organization Transparency International EU. “There is virtually no oversight or impact on how MEPs spend their allowances, and we have seen those funds misused many times.”
Aiossa believes that institutional corruption is just part of what makes MEPs attractive targets for those seeking to influence European politics.
“Collectively, parliament has great power over policy directions that provide access to a huge market of over 400 million citizens. They are often very discreet, which can help avoid scrutiny.”
Policy is not the only area where MEPs can use their position to wield power. Former UK MEP Bill Newton Dunne explains: Overall, MEP’s voice carries weight. ”
In fact, Kairi stepped in to help Qatar on November 21 during a debate on human rights resolutions in Qatar ahead of the World Cup. The resolution was finally passed by him three days later.
Katalin Che, a sitting Hungarian parliamentarian who negotiated the wording of the resolution, said it would be particularly difficult to publish the resolution because two main groups of parliamentarians resisted being too harsh on Qatar. told CNN.
“In retrospect, given what we know now, it is very alarming that my colleagues were so strongly behind this resolution. I am concerned that it may have permeated our negotiations.”
It will probably take some time to find out exactly what happened and whether the lobbying rules have been broken. will be
But activists who have been pushing anti-corruption reform for years can take some comfort in the fact that this scandal was broken at exactly the right time to receive maximum coverage.
