Prosecutors’ track: “EU MPs on Qatar’s payroll” – Europe

MEPs on the payroll in favor of the Principality. A new investigative path opens in the intense investigation around Qatargate and the heart of Europe continues to tremble, fearing that what has emerged so far is only the tip of the iceberg for a deeper system of pressure and corruption. According to Greece’s private broadcaster Mega TV, more than 60 MEPs are targeted by an extensive investigation by the Belgian judiciary over Qatargate. The European Parliamentarians who may be affected by investigations and searches, again according to Hellenic TV, mostly come from the political families of the Socialists, Democrats, European People’s Party and other left-wing parties.

The rumors were also relaunched by the German online magazine Focus.de, but found no confirmation from the Belgian federal prosecutor. In the meantime, the first session of the four detainees before the Council Chamber of the Court of Brussels replayed the first statements of the Belgian justice: former deputy Antonio Panzieri and Francesco Giorgi, companion of the former President of the European Parliament Eva Cayley, will remain in prison for at least a month, while Nicolo Vega Talamanca will be able to leave under electronic monitoring. However, the fate of Greek politics is still pending, which demanded and obtained a postponement of the decision to the 22nd of next December.

Meanwhile, in Strasbourg, the Eurochamber Plenum demanded the suspension of the aviation agreement between the European Union and Qatar and the suspension of all legislative files related to Doha, which caused an outcry in the league because it was excluded from the joint signing. The decision must now be put to a vote. The hustle and bustle of the investigation into suspected corruption by Brussels judge Michel Claes shows no signs of abating, and as the days go by the picture is enriched with new and troubling details.

The operation, according to the reconstruction provided by the Belgian media Le Soir and Knack and then confirmed by the Belgian Ministry of Justice, began after the investigation carried out by the Belgian intelligence together with the secret services of five other European countries, which led in the first “secret” raid on the Panziri house. Information that also reminds us of the warning that was highlighted last summer in a report delivered to “Copacir” during the presidency of the current Minister Adolfo Urso. But the most striking piece of news – while the police were busy identifying the Belgian bank from which the bribes (totaling 1.5 million euros in cash) were taken were found in the homes of Antonio Panzieri and Eva Kaili, as well as in the bags in which the father of the Greek MEP was about to flee – relates to the hypothesis. That he will see many members of the European Parliament on the payroll in favor of the Gulf state. A thesis investigators are working on which, if confirmed, could deepen the scandal and involve more EU politicians and officials. are in danger of finally destroying the credibility of society’s institutions.

The long wave of scandal may not stop at Qatar, but rather reach Morocco. And the Belgian police noted that the director of Le Soir, Christophe Berti, could have “information on another country.” And the rumors that have appeared on several occasions in recent days all point to Rabat. So much so that the Belgian Minister of Justice, Vincent van Quickenborn, stated that he expected the payment of bribes and gifts to influence European political decisions by economic powers to be higher than the amounts tracked so far. and that the “interests” of other foreign meddling could be “countless”. A suspect not yet known, the four suspects are expected to return before the Belgian justice within a month.