“European democracy is under attack,” European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said on Monday, expressing “fury, anger and sadness” over Qatar’s alleged corruption scandal of a Greek MEP.
“There will be no impunity (…) nothing will be hidden,” he promised in the Strasbourg chamber, announcing an “internal investigation” to examine all the facts related to the European Parliament and to get the institution reformed. .
The Greek elect Eva Kaili, who occupies one of the 14 vice-presidencies of the institution, as well as three other people, were jailed this Sunday in Brussels, two days after being arrested in the framework of an investigation into important payments of money that the country host of the World Cup-2022 would have done to influence European politics.
Roberta Metsola was very affected, evoking “some of the longest days of her career.”
But she said she was convinced that the European Parliament would emerge stronger from the crisis.
Dismantle “an alleged criminal network”
“These malicious actors, linked to autocratic third countries, have apparently used NGOs, unions, individuals, advisers and MEPs as weapons with the aim of subjugating our processes. Their malicious plans have failed,” he asserted.
“Our services, of which I am incredibly proud, are working with the relevant national law enforcement and judicial authorities to dismantle this alleged criminal network,” she said.
“We will launch a reform process to see who has access to our facilities, how these organizations, NGOs and individuals are financed, what links they have with third countries, we will ask for more transparency in meetings with foreign actors”, promised Roberta Metsola. .
The President of the European Parliament also wants to better protect whistleblowers.
“We will protect those who help us report crime and I will work to review our reporting systems to see how they can be strengthened,” he said.
Source: BFM TV
