Influence peddling: EU Parliament scandal triggers ethics review
The European Union鈥檚 top official has called for the creation of an independent ethics body following accusations of gifts being exchanged for political favors. Allegations have led to the dismissal of European Parliament Vice President Eva Kaili of Greece.
Greek politician and European Parliament Vice President Eva Kaili speaks during the European Book Prize award ceremony in Brussels, Dec. 7, 2022. Ms. Kaili has been relieved of her duties and suspended from her party in the wake of allegations of a lobbying scandal.
European Parliament/AP
Brussels
The European Union鈥檚 top official said Monday that the allegations of corruption targeting a vice president of the European Parliament are of 鈥渦tmost concern鈥� as she called for the creation of an independent ethics body covering all of the bloc鈥檚 institutions.
Belgian prosecutors charged four people over the weekend with corruption, being part of a criminal group and money laundering in connection with a major investigation into influence peddling at the European Union鈥檚 parliament.
The lobbying scandal has already seen parliament Vice President Eva Kaili of Greece relieved of her duties. Authorities have not identified the Gulf country suspected of offering cash or gifts to officials at the parliament in exchange for political favors, but several members of the assembly and some Belgian media have linked the investigation to Qatar.
Qatar鈥檚 foreign ministry has denied any wrongdoing.
Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission, said the accusations against Ms. Kaili are threatening the confidence that EU citizens put in the 27-nation bloc鈥檚 institutions.
鈥淭his confidence and trust in our institutions need highest standards of independence and integrity,鈥� Ms. von der Leyen told a news conference.
As lobbying activities at EU level lack comprehensive regulation, she said the independent ethics body she proposes would not only cover activities at the Commission, Council, and Parliament, but also at the European Central Bank, European Court of Justice, and European Court of Auditors.
鈥淭he principles of having such an ethics body where there are very clear rules on what has to be checked, how and when and what has to be published, how and when would be a big step forward,鈥� she said.
The federal prosecutor鈥檚 office, without identifying any individual, said four of six people detained on Friday have been charged. The other two have been released.
Prosecutors have confirmed that one member of the Parliament was arrested but declined to confirm it is Ms. Kaili. They said they suspect 鈥渢he payment of large sums of money, or the offer of significant gifts鈥� to people holding strategic positions at the European Parliament capable of influencing decisions.
In Athens, Greek government spokesman Giannis Oikonomou said the case of Ms. Kaili 鈥渋s a very serious case that is in the hands of Belgian justice.鈥�
The case, he said, 鈥渃reates one more rift in the credibility and trust in European institutions and the European Parliament.鈥�
The scandal broke as the EU Parliament begins its last plenary session of the year in Strasbourg, France, later on Monday.
Manon Aubry, the Left group鈥檚 co-president at Parliament, said that her group will ask for a debate and a resolution on the scandal, with the aim of implementing 鈥渨ay stricter rules.鈥�
鈥淭he battle continues: Our democracy is not for sale,鈥� she said on Twitter.
European Parliament president Roberta Metsola relieved Ms. Kaili, a former TV news anchor, of her duties over the weekend. Ms. Kaili also was suspended by her party in Greece and the EU assembly鈥檚 Socialists and Democrats group on Friday after the raids, in which police also seized around 600,000 euros ($633,500) in cash, computer equipment, and mobile telephones.
Ms. Kaili鈥檚 party in Greece, the Socialist Pasok-Movement for Change, publicly distanced itself from remarks she made in the EU parliament last month praising Qatar, which is currently hosting soccer鈥檚 gala event, the World Cup.
Qatar has come under heavy international pressure to introduce labor reforms in recent years as it sought to build new World Cup stadiums in record time, often using migrant workers who toiled for long hours under harsh conditions.
The EU and Qatar have strengthened their economic relationships since the start of Russia鈥檚 war in Ukraine. As European countries have supported Ukraine after Russia鈥檚 invasion in February, Moscow has slashed supplies of natural gas used to heat homes, generate electricity, and power industry.
That has created an energy crisis that is fueling inflation and increasing pressure on companies as prices have risen, with the EU looking for alternatives to buy liquefied natural gas on a long-term basis, notably in Qatar.
In April, the European Commission also proposed to lift visa requirements for short stays in the region for nationals of Qatar.
Asked whether Belgian authorities had been in touch with the European Commission as part of their investigation, Ms. von der Leyen said she had no clue. 鈥淚 would have to ask my staff,鈥� she said.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.聽Elena Becatoros in Athens contributed to this story.