The European Union is plunged into the “Qatargate” scandal, several deputies of Parliament, in particular the vice-president, being suspected of corruption in favor of the emirate.
Some Internet users claim that MEPs voted against the commission of inquiry aimed at clarifying this affair.
For these people, it is like a confession.
In reality, politicians rejected an amendment that sought to launch this commission immediately.
20 Minutes
explains.
MEPs, all dishonest?
That's what some netizens seem to think.
“436 deputies against 125 refuse to create a commission of inquiry on corruption within the institution, are they all corrupt?
“, published one of them on Twitter.
The numerous publications of this type echo the “Qatargate” scandal in which the European Union is plunged.
Several deputies of Parliament, in particular the vice-president, are suspected of corruption in favor of the emirate.
Qatar is not directly named by the Belgian federal prosecutor's office.
But he indicates that a "Gulf country is suspected of influencing the economic and political decisions of the European Parliament, by paying substantial sums of money or by offering significant gifts to third parties with a political position and/or strategic significance within the European Parliament".
“What can prevent it from forming if not that there is widespread #corruption among them all?
asks another internet user.
An argument that reinforces the anti-Europe discourse or even the "Frexit" of some convinced of the uselessness of the institution.
20 Minutes
takes stock of this commission of inquiry.
FAKE OFF
Contrary to what Internet users claim, the European Parliament did vote for a resolution, in which the future establishment of a commission of inquiry is planned.
Supported by the majority of the parliamentary groups, this resolution was however rejected by the far-right group Idea and Democracy, of which the National Rally is a member.
On the document adopted on December 15, it is clearly written that the parliament "undertakes to set up a commission of inquiry, by virtue of article 226 of the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union, at the end of the criminal investigations and possible legal proceedings”.
These accusations give the institution bad press, which therefore wants to protect itself as much as possible from possible future scandals of this type.
Thus, the European Parliament “recommends setting up a special committee to detect potential shortcomings in the rules of procedure of the European Parliament in terms of transparency, integrity and corruption and to formulate proposals for reform”.
Also, “demands that the transparency register be made compulsory” and “extended to former deputies”.
Also, “all work on legislative files relating to Qatar, in particular with regard to the liberalization of the visa regime and the EU-Qatar agreement on aviation”, is suspended.
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The confusion by Internet users comes from the fact that the number of 436 MEPs who, according to the tweets, rejected the commission of inquiry, is in reality that of the number of MEPs who voted against an amendment of the ID group on December 15.
The objective was to set up this famous commission of inquiry as soon as possible, ie from “the next plenary session”.
From then on, various political figures spoke, such as the new president of the RN, on the set of Quelle Epoque on France 2, on December 18.
"By refusing the creation of a parliamentary commission of inquiry today on #QatarGate as we have proposed, the European Parliament seeks to bury the case", argued Jordan Bardella.
We shouldn't miss the word “from today”, which makes all the difference.
In reality, a commission of inquiry simply cannot be formed until the legal process is completed.
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