‘Credibility of Europe’ at stake over alleged Qatar corruption scandal

Foreign minsters warn of ‘damaging’ impact on governing body

A growing corruption scandal over allegations that World Cup host Qatar lavished hundreds and thousands of pounds worth of cash and gifts on MEPs and officials to influence decision-making threatens the credibility of Europe, senior figures have warned.

The scandal expanded further on Monday after Greece froze the assets of a key suspect in the case, Eva Kaili, a vice-president in the European parliament and one of four people arrested and charged in Belgium at the weekend.

Belgian police have seized €600,000 (£516,000) in cash as part of an investigation into claims that Doha sought to buy influence. Sixteen raids were conducted by police. There were claims of large sums of money being found in a suitcase in Brussels hotel room as well as in a flat.

Two MEPs’ homes have been searched.

“This is an unbelievable incident which has to be cleared up completely with the full force of law,” German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock said as she arrived for a regular meeting with her EU counterparts in Brussels.

“This is about the credibility of Europe.”

The European Parliament said MEPs would be dealt with accordingly if found guilty of corruption.

“There will be no impunity. None of those responsible will find this Parliament on their side,” parliament president President Roberta Metsola said

Prosecutors have accused an “unnamed country” of attempting to influence the European parliament, though officials have claimed the country is Qatar.

Doha has rejected the allegations. “Any association of the Qatari government with the reported claims is baseless and gravely misinformed,” an official said at the weekend.

Ms Kaili, a former television presenter, met Qatar’s labour minister Ali bin Samikh Al-Marri just before the World Cup in November. In a video statement shared by the Qatar News Agency, the socialist said: “I believe the World Cup for Arabs has been a great tool for... political transformation and reforms.”

She added that the parliament “recognised and respected” the Gulf nation’s progress in labour reforms.

Her office did not respond to a request for comment.

Ms Kaili, 44, is one of the parliament’s most senior officials. She was expelled from her socialist (PASOK) party after being arrested over the charges and was also suspended from her powers and duties as one of the European parliament’s vice-presidents.

Aside from Ms Kaili, it is understood that at least three of those quizzed by officials were either Italian citizens or originally came from Italy.

The impact of the scandal could be very damaging, senior European officials admitted on Monday.

“Certainly, the news is very worrisome,” Josep Borrell, the bloc’s foreign policy chief, told reporters. “We are facing some events, some facts that certainly worry me as a former president of the European parliament, also.”

Prosecutors said they had suspected for months that a Gulf state was trying to influence decision-making in Brussels.

Czech foreign minister Jan Lipavsky said the scandal was “absolutely unacceptable”.

“Qatar is an important partner for the energy of the EU,” he added. “Of course, the relation between the EU and Qatar needs to be built on a set of policies including human rights and labour rights.”

Irish foreign affairs minister Simon Coveney called the affair “damaging”.

He added: “We need to get to the bottom of it. This is a scandal that we need to expose the truth around so we can ensure it doesn’t happen again.”

The scandal is particularly awkward for the parliament, which has seen itself as a moral compass in Brussels, seeking tighter rules on the environment or on corporations, issuing resolutions critical of human rights abuses across the globe and taking EU governments to task.

With agencies