The alleged corruption scandal involving Qatar in the European Parliament and targeting in particular the institution’s vice president, Eva Kylie, is just the “tip of the iceberg,” rebel MEP Manon Aubry said on Saturday, asking for an investigation into the 27 states of the Union.
“What was discovered today is just the tip of the iceberg,” the co-chair of the left-wing group told Franceinfo, even if “it is clear that all MEPs in parliament are not corrupt.”
The institution has been shocked by the exposure of an alleged corruption scandal, notably against Greek MEP Eva Kaili, who is suspected of being paid by Qatar to protect the interests of the emirate that currently hosts the World Cup. Ms Kaili has been stripped of her vice-presidentship by Parliament and is under preliminary investigation by the Athenian Financial Prosecutor’s Office for “corruption” and “money laundering” in cooperation with Belgian justice. In conclusion, she declares her innocence. Three other people, including his companion, were also targeted.
“These are not isolated cases”
“There should be an investigation in 27 Member States. The scale of this scandal, the consequences that I have been able to see and expose for the past month, clearly demonstrate that these are not isolated cases, it is necessary to bring the matter to the entire network,” Manon Aubry pleaded.
Against “ailing European democracy”, she again called for the creation of an “independent ethical body” to better control lobbying activities and to better control waiting periods “not always respected” for former European commissioners who would be tempted to “sell their address book”. “.
“Today, there is no body in the European Parliament that could control conflicts of interest. I do a transparency register in which we report meetings with the lobby, but this is not necessary, ”she regretted. “He should be ready by the end of the mandate in 2024.”
On Thursday, President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola announced “extensive” reforms for 2023, referring to “gaps” regarding “the activities of former members of the European Parliament” and “registrations in the transparency register”. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reiterated her proposal for an “independent body” that would “uniformly encompass all institutions”.
Source: Le Parisien
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