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Belgium's federal prosecutor widens EU corruption probe

Wednesday, 14 December 2022 3:00 AM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 14 December 2022 3:10 AM ]

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Jerome Hughes
Press TV, Brussels

An emergency debate took place in the European Parliament on Tuesday in the wake of explosive claims that Qatar has bribed EU lawmakers and officials. It's being described as the biggest corruption scandal in the history of the EU.

Greek MEP Eva Kaili and three others are due to appear in court on Wednesday having been charged with accepting bribes.

Belgian police have now raided at least twenty properties in Brussels and have seized more than seven hundred and fifty thousand euro in cash. Qatar denies it has bribed EU officials. Legislators are calling for a Committee of Inquiry into the scandal and for an Ethics Commission to be established.

In addition to Eva Kaili, several lawmakers have stepped down from senior roles in the parliament raising suspicion that the scandal is bigger than first thought.

The EU's foreign policy is very inconsistent. Many are now asking if cases of suspected corrupt interference extend beyond Qatar.

For example, often based on ambiguous claims, the EU routinely targets Iran. At the same time entirely unambiguous atrocities are committed by the likes of Saudi Arabia and Israel but zero action is taken against those countries.

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