The stench of corruption is pervading the corridors of the EU’s Parliament
More sums of cash in suitcases, MEPs ‘standing aside, but it’s all Qatar’s fault says EP President
€1 million in cash and still counting… How much did it take to buy Brussels?
Belgian police yesterday raided more homes of EU parliamentarians, assistants, and lobbyists, as well as seizing computers and taping off offices, as yet more bags of cash were discovered in the corruption scandal engulfing the EU Parliament. The tally now exceeds €1 million — and that’s only what the police have found so far. Yesterday the questions even spread to the mighty EU Commission, regarding the conduct of EU Commissioner Schinas in praising Qatar’s human rights record.
I first broke this story Sunday morning. The BBC, ITV, Sky and the usual culprits who believe the EU can do no wrong must have known about the scandal breaking but kept very quiet. I expect more arrests in the coming days and weeks, with many more in and around the EU Parliament implicated. Will the usual culprits try to squash this news? You bet they will.
From ‘EU Poster Girl’ to ‘Jailbird’
EU Parliament Vice-President Eva Kaili has now swapped her luxury Brussels apartment for a jail cell in a Brussels prison.
From this opulent luxury
Too this squalid environment
EU Parliament Vice-President Eva Kaili has now swapped her luxury Brussels apartment for a jail cell in a Brussels prison.
understand Ms Kaili is currently being held in the ‘Prison de Saint-Gilles in Brussels. This jail was constructed in 1884. I must stress that she has not been convicted of any crime and is not due in court until tomorrow. How the mighty fall.
How much does it take to buy Brussels?
The sums are mounting up, even though they would be considered small change by many Arab governments.
The cash haul to date is growing: €600,000 seized from a private home, plus “several hundred thousand euros” in a suitcase discovered in a Brussels hotel room, plus €150,000 at Kaili’s apartment. Yesterday the EU Vice-President family’s assets in Greece were frozen by Greek authorities, affecting all her immediate family members.
Many others in the EU Parliament — MEPs, assistants and lobbyists — have been caught up in the ongoing investigations. So corruption is widespread in the corridors of EU power.
Questions now surround an EU Commission Vice-President
The EU Commission “Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life”, Margaritas Schinas — whom I remember from his previous role as the anti-British spokesman of the EU Commission — was the subject of aggressive questioning yesterday by the (pro-EU) press corps in Brussels.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declined to answer questions about him, to the fury of the baying journalists. Instead, a statement was made.
“As vice president responsible for sport, European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas was invited to the World Cup 2022 opening game together with U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres and IOC President Thomas Bach who were also present.”
Mr Schinas’s subsequent tweets have raised eyebrows when he was effusive about Qatar’s labour reforms. This photo of EU Commission Vice-President Schinas in Qatar was obtained from the Qatari Foreign Ministry.
This photo was taken on 20 November 2022.
No specific allegations or charges have been brought against Mr Schinas and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stands fully behind him. Well, she would, but trust me she would throw him to the wolves if it got too hot for her to handle.
“It’s all the fault of autocratic third countries,” says EU Parliament President
At a special session of the EU Parliament in Strasbourg yesterday, its President Roberta Metsola sought to put the blame for this scandal on “autocratic third countries”.
Here she is yesterday. “Make no mistake. The European Parliament, dear colleagues, is under attack. European democracy is under attack. And our way of open, free, democratic societies is under attack.
“The enemies of democracy for whom the very existence of this Parliament is a threat will stop at nothing. These malign actors, linked to autocratic third countries have allegedly weaponised NGOs, Unions, individuals, assistants and Members of the European Parliament in an effort to subdue our processes.
“Their malicious plans failed. Our services, of whom I am incredibly proud, have been working with relevant national law enforcement and judicial authorities to break up this alleged criminal network for some time.
“We have acted in sync with authorities to ensure that all legal steps are respected, that all information is preserved and that, where needed, IT equipment is secured, offices are sealed and house searches are able to be carried out. I accompanied a Belgian judge and police as required by the Belgian constitution to a house search last weekend.
“As a precautionary measure, again with full respect for the presumption of innocence, I have stripped the Vice-President mentioned of any tasks and responsibilities related to their role as Vice-President and I have convened an extraordinary meeting of the Conference of Presidents to launch an Article 21 procedure to bring their term as Vice-President to an end in an effort to protect the integrity of this House.
“I was also scheduled today to announce the opening of the negotiating mandate for the visa-waiver report with Qatar and Kuwait. In light of the investigations, this report must be sent back to the committee.”
She can spout whatever crap she wants but this scandal has hit the EU hard and the last paragraph of her speech gives it away “I was also scheduled today to announce the opening of the negotiating mandate for the visa-waiver report with Qatar and Kuwait. In light of the investigations, this report must be sent back to the committee.” None of them knew about the scandal that was about to hit the EU
There is no doubt that the Qatari government engaged in a very effective PR campaign to improve Qatar’s image ahead of the FIFA World Cup. Indeed their efforts were worthy of the EU Commission’s propaganda at its best.
Investigations are continuing on a daily basis now, involving the Belgian, Greek and Italian authorities. I think it is inevitable that further charges will follow, even if some of those involved have now had ample time to hide or dispose of any evidence.
One thing is now certain, however. The only institution in the EU with any vague claim to being democratic — the EU Parliament — has now been irrevocably tainted with corruption on a major scale.
This my friends is the EU world that Femi- Sorry, AC Grayling and the European Movement UK led by Lord Adonis along with the rest of the malignant Rejoiners want us to rejoin and are now doing their best to defend.
Sources: EU Parliament | EU Commission | Qatar Foreign Ministry
