Two years ago, a scandal called "Qatargate" erupted on the European Union scene. This artificially, but appropriately created name was to refer to the famous American Watergate scandal, when in June 1972, five burglars in suits and blue surgical gloves were caught in O'Brien's office in the Watergate complex. Seven months later in 1973, their trial began, in which they were accused of breaking into the Democratic Party headquarters.
Well, the Americans have their "gate" — let's Europe have its own. However, while in the US there were convictions (from 2 to 8 years) — in the European Union scandal none of the "criminals" has been held accountable so far.
But let's take a look at the following: December 13, 2022 — alarming headlines in German newspapers: "Suspicion of corruption in the European Parliament — Brussels in shock after Eva Kaila's crimes come to light."
The Vice-President of the European Parliament, the heroine of the most shocking (until recently) scandal in the history of the Union, Eva Kaili, was accused, along with three other EU officials, of "membership in a criminal organization, money laundering and corruption" — specifically, of taking bribes from Qatar in order to influence political decisions of the EP to its advantage. For this, she was dismissed from the position of Vice-President almost unanimously.
Eva Kaili in 2016 (Source: Wikipedia)
During the investigation, €150,000 was found in her apartment and with her partner Francesco Giorgi, who worked as an assistant in Parliament. Another €750,000 was found with Kaila's father in a Brussels hotel, and another €600,000 was found in the home of former MEP Pietro Antonio Panzeri.
Antonio Panzeri, MEP (Source: Wikipedia)
In total, investigators searched 20 private rooms and offices of MEPs between 19 and 22 December 2022 and requested the lifting of her immunity. The investigating body also stated that there was a suspicion of financial fraud to the detriment of the EU budget, in particular in the area of parliamentary staff salaries. The basis for the suspicion was the report of an investigation carried out by the EU anti-fraud body, but the investigation was not carried out. This happened only in December 2023.
An investigation was then conducted, but it was not about “Qatargate,” but about the financial misuse of EU funds by the former Vice-President of the European Parliament. A report was presented stating that Kaili was accused of dishonestly spending public money (including illegal salaries for employees). The European Parliament lifted the immunity of its former Vice-President. This paved the way for an investigation into Kaili’s involvement in fraud against the EU budget for a total amount of €150,000 ($161,355).
This fraud case is unrelated to the corruption scandal known as “Qatargate,” which has been swept under the rug. Kaila’s only punishment was to strip her of immunity for “mismanaging the EU budget.”
For the same reason, the European Public Prosecutor's Office has requested the lifting of the immunity of another MEP. She is a Christian Democrat, Maria Spyraki, from the Greek party Nea Demokratia. The Greek prosecutor's office has also investigated Kaili for alleged money laundering and bribery. If she is found guilty, she could face between five and 15 years in prison under Greek law. But there is no information about this in the press.
The latest news regarding the “Qatargate” scandal comes from February 5, 2023. The Frankfurter Allegemeine Zeitung reports: “Investigators probing “Qatargate” trudge through the twilight.” After the suspect in the above corruption case was released after four months of preventive detention and placed under house arrest with an electronic bracelet, the Frankfurt newspaper reported: “It is doubtful whether the corruption problem in the European Parliament will ever go to court.”
It turns out that no indictment has been issued in this case, and Eva Kaili, expelled from the Alliance of Socialists and Democrats and stripped of her immunity, is re-entering the political scene, portraying herself as the victim of a political conspiracy. "I was imprisoned for something I was not involved in," she told the French newspaper Libération. And despite having her immunity lifted, Kaili (like the other suspects in the "Qatargate" case) remains a member of Parliament with full voting rights, although she is accused of participating in a criminal organization, corruption and money laundering.
It is now becoming obvious that this scandal in Brussels, with Eva Kaili in the lead role, will have less of an impact on the political image of the European Parliament than was expected in the initial phase after her arrest. Although the Parliament has decided on reforms and the European Commission has proposed the creation of an independent ethics body that would draw up a code of conduct for all EU institutions, but — this new body will not be able to impose its own sanctions!
This is an open door to further abuses and crimes among the Eurocrats.
There is no hiding the fact that in the European Parliament, which likes to see itself as a pioneer in the fight against corruption, the number of candidates for commissioners whose integrity raises serious doubts is growing.
Such is the "hero" of this part of my story. It is the Belgian politician and gambler Didier Reynders, responsible for the rule of law, a colleague of Tusk and Bodnar, the commissioner for grilling Poland. He is accused of buying lottery tickets for several years and depositing the winnings, which have since been laundered, into his personal account.
Didier Reynders in 2024 (Source: Wikipedia)1
According to Le Soir, the investigation against him has been ongoing since 2023 and was shrouded in strict internal secrecy because the prosecutor's office waited until Reynders retired as EU commissioner before conducting interviews and searching his home. MEP Daniel Freund (Greens) told Euronews: "If this is a serious case and there are serious allegations, I don't understand why the authorities waited for the immunity to expire... They should have filed a motion to lift the immunity much earlier, instead of letting the case run its course."
The investigators explained that this was done to avoid Reynders finding out about the investigations at an early stage, as officials would then have had to obtain prior permission from the Commission to conduct interviews and searches.
Who is Didier Reynders? In previous years, he was the minister responsible for the Belgian state lottery, which he used to launder money. Loyal and devoted to the head of the European Commission — Ursula von der Leyen, who entrusted him with matters of justice and the rule of law — he became known as the one who was responsible for violations of the rule of law in Hungary, which led to the Commission blocking tens of billions of euros in funding for Viktor Orbán's government. And during his stay in Poland on October 21, in a conversation with Adam Bodnar, he said: "I am glad that we have managed to make progress together towards restoring the rule of law in Poland", to which the "Polish" minister replied: "The effects of the actions are already visible. For the first time in 8 years, Poland has advanced in the rule of law ranking published by the World Justice Project"
As reported by Le Soir and the *Follow the Money *platform, searches were carried out at two of Reynders' properties in early December. The 66-year-old was questioned until late in the evening. The Brussels prosecutor's office confirmed that an investigation was underway against him, but did not provide further information.
According to media reports, the investigation is based on a report by the Belgian Financial Supervisory Authority, which regularly investigates suspicious transactions in the state lottery. Reynders is said to have deposited large sums into his account over a long period of time, much of it in cash. The winnings were transferred to Reynders' current account. The scam could be one of the most spectacular collapses in European Union politics in recent times: the commissioner for the rule of law — who is under criminal investigation by the justice system for corruption.
As you can see in Brussels they steal, but legally and for the good of democracy! Such are the standards that apply in "our" Union!
Translation from Polish by Andrew Wozniewicz.
