The EU is rocked by a historic scandal: A corruption scandal has been uncovered at the heart of the Union. German media see the credibility of the EU Parliament at risk.
Several EU politicians were arrested on Friday and Saturday. Most prominent is Eva Kaili, Greek politician and Vice-President of the European Parliament. The Belgian authorities found “bags full of cash” on her, which is said to have come from Qatar. Kaili and other politician colleagues are in custody. On Monday, the President of the European Parliament wants to discuss with the parliamentary groups whether Kaili should finally be deposed. And the press comments, as is customary in such cases. An overview:
The corruption scandal “is a warning shot for all parliaments”
“Augsburg General“: “The scandal surrounding EU Parliament Vice President Eva Kaili is shaking political Brussels. If the suspicion is substantiated, this not only means an immense loss of confidence for the MPs of all parties. It would be a catastrophe for the entire EU. As the guardian of Western values and the heart of European democracy, Parliament likes to emphasize the importance of human rights and the rule of law. Europe’s elected officials enjoy playing the role of morale club, especially in the fight against corruption. They often have reason to. But the sharpest weapon becomes blunt if there is ‘gang corruption and money laundering’ in your own shop.”
“badish newspaper“: “The European Parliament must now lift the immunity of the suspects immediately and thus ensure that the allegations of corruption against MPs from their own ranks can be clarified. (…) The governments of Hungary and Poland, who have been castigated by the European Parliament for violating the rule of law, now sense the dawn. They don’t want to be pilloried by MPs who can’t keep their own house in order. Herein lies a much bigger problem for the EU than in the unclean PR methods of the Gulf emirate that have now been unearthed. (…) So far, Parliament has been the admonishing moral authority. She’s missing now.”
“Frankenpost“: “The scandal is a warning shot for all parliaments – also for the German Bundestag, in which more lobbyists have an ID card than the parliament has members. One of the achievements of democracy is that the elected representatives of the people can make their decisions freely. If they lose this ability – whether through political pressure, financial influence or threats of violence – democracy is in jeopardy.”
Europe’s role as guardian of values is in jeopardy
“Southgerman newspaper“: “It could not have been worse for the EU Parliament. After all, its most powerful weapon is morality: the House of Representatives recently celebrated its 70th birthday, proud of its role as the only EU institution to be directly elected by the European people. But it is still not allowed to introduce its own laws; it is often ignored in the current crisis situation by the Commission and the member states. Parliament is all the more confident in its role as the guardian of true European values. The house also represents these values when it comes to abuses outside the EU – for example in a resolution that condemned the football World Cup in Qatar as a disgrace. And now you suddenly get a sense of why some social democrats weren’t all that enthusiastic about this resolution.”
“Handelsblatt“: “The EU Parliament sees itself as a pioneer against bribery and corruptibility. For years, MEPs have been demanding that the Union take action against kleptocrats in its own ranks – especially against Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who undermines the rule of law and cultivates favoritism. Now, of all times, when the Commission is finally taking action and is not paying out funds from the EU budget and the Corona recovery fund to Hungary due to a lack of rule of law standards, the corruption case is shaking Brussels. Orban will find it easy to portray his critics as hypocrites. He could be the big beneficiary of the affair. That must not happen. (…) The transparency rules are already strict today. However, there are gaps in contacts with third countries that need to be closed. The proposal to set up an independent EU ethics committee must also be implemented quickly.”
“Stuttgart News“: “The worst prejudices about supposedly rapacious politicians and democratic institutions that are far removed from the people and degenerating into self-service shops seem to be confirmed. This corruption scandal will further fuel people’s disenchantment with politics. The objection that the police’s uncovering of the probable bribe payments to the Vice-President of the European Parliament is proof that the control mechanisms are working is pointless. Above all, the scandal is a warning shot for all parliaments. This also applies to the German Bundestag, where more lobbyists have an ID card than there are members of parliament.”
Is Qatar really a better trading partner than Russia?
“Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung“: “Why should Qatar bribe a vice-president who hardly anyone knows outside of her Greek homeland and who nobody ever thought of as a center of power in Brussels? (…) It seems as if the emirate on the Gulf has taken Parliament more seriously than the EU citizens it represents themselves. (…) The majority of MEPs should turn their indignation into energy in order to now close a gap in the transparency regime of the EU institutions: Interest groups from third countries must also be included in the transparency register. However, one should not delude oneself. Such a reform would not have prevented a clumsy case of bribery like the one now apparently uncovered – and Parliament’s battered reputation will not be improved that easily either.”
“OM media“: “Inevitably, the question arises as to whether Qatar can be a good trading partner and is really the lesser evil compared to Russia, as Economics Minister Robert Habeck euphemistically hinted at after the conclusion of the deal on the supply of liquid gas with the emirate. After the Brussels parliamentary scandal broke, this view urgently needs to be corrected. Even if it is bitter: Germany should not do business with corrupt sheikhs.”
Source: Stern
David William is a talented author who has made a name for himself in the world of writing. He is a professional author who writes on a wide range of topics, from general interest to opinion news. David is currently working as a writer at 24 hours worlds where he brings his unique perspective and in-depth research to his articles, making them both informative and engaging.
