Macro-raid in Brussels for corruption related to Qatar and the World Cup

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The

have carried out a

in

this Friday as part of an operation against corruption

money

that would directly splash

and the

that is being held these days in the

.

The

has issued a statement informing of

of the capital that have resulted in the

, including a

and the

, and the seizure of up to

.

The agents have also searched the home of

, a former Greek television presenter and now vice-president of the European Parliament, and who is married to the one who was, during the last legislature, the principal assistant of the arrested deputy.

Investigators suspect that there is a

to "influence the economic and political decisions of the European Parliament."

The lobby is a completely normal and habitual activity in Brussels and especially in everything that surrounds the European Parliament, which, without being the institution with the most weight in decision-making, has a voice and vote in the legislative process.

But the Police believe it has been proven that a country in the

, identified by the newspaper

early as Qatar, has violated the laws to get favors and whitewash criticism of the World Cup.

"The searches have been carried out as part of an important investigation for

,

. For several months, investigators from the Federal Judicial Police have suspected that a Gulf country may have influenced economic decisions and policies of the European Parliament by paying large sums of money or offering large gifts to third parties with an important political interest and/or strategic position within the European Parliament", says the Prosecutor's Office in its letter.

The news has shaken Brussels and the European Parliament today.

The city and the institution are used to controversies and scandals, but it is not usual for there to be a search on the property of a deputy (who has immunity), let alone one as well-known as

.

There are deputies of all colors and ideologies, from Hungarian ultra-conservatives arrested during the pandemic for participating in illegal orgies to Irish millionaires who tooth and nail defend all modern dictatorships and authoritarian regimes.

is also known

.

But until now the processes for corruption and gifts had occurred more in the Council of Europe, an institution that despite its name is not part of the EU and is based in Luxembourg.

The Italian Panzeri, very involved with Qatar

In today's raid investigators have seized some €600,000 in cash.

According to the local press, the bulk, half a million euros, at the home of former Italian deputy

, who left his seat in 2019 and runs an NGO dedicated, ironically, to "fighting impunity" and defending human rights.

Parliamentary sources say that Panzeri,

and who received large funds for his organization from Doha, has assured in his first allegations that the money found was not his and that it would all be a trap by the Saudi Arabian secret services to incriminate him.

In recent years Panzeri has repeatedly attacked

and defended Qatar in public.

As a deputy and later, assuring that he was becoming "a reference for human rights" in the area.

There he traveled in 2019, for example, being responsible for the

subcommittee of the

, praising the efforts of the emirate.

There are also articles signed by him in the Italian press comparing the good work of Qatar and its progress against Saudi immobility.

The European Parliament has no role in relation to the World Cup in Qatar itself, but it is very active in all debates related to human or labor rights.

And he has held recent debates on human rights, working conditions for immigrants and even the possibility of eliminating the visa requirement for Qataris who want to come to Europe.

The European Parliament votes resolutions, makes sentences and has a very active role in public diplomacy.

Kaili and her defense of Qatar

In the last of them, held just a few weeks ago, the deputy Kaili, a socialist, made a

, assuring that its "historic transformation" and its reforms "

."

He presented the emirate as a "leader in labor rights" (in early November he met with the country's Minister of Labor) and praised the abolition of kafala, a semi-slavery regime that is a recurring theme in the state's propaganda and lobbying work. .

"

.

They intimidate them and accuse them of corruption even though they buy their oil," she reproached her colleagues in the chamber at the time. "I have been lectured as a Greek and I remind everyone that we have thousands of deaths due to our non-compliance with the legal forms of migration in Europe", he said to relativize the denunciations of the labor practices that had caused up to thousands of deaths during the works for the construction of the world infrastructure. "They are

.

They helped us reduce tension with Turkey.

They helped us with Afghanistan to save activists, children, women.

They helped us.

And they are peace negotiators.

They are good neighbors and partners.

We can help each other overcome shortcomings.

They have already achieved the impossible, "she said emphatically in defense of those who, allegedly, would have given gifts and bribes to precisely achieve that image in the Eurochamber.

"

in the European institutions. The S&D Group has zero tolerance for corruption. We are the first to support a thorough investigation and full disclosure. We will fully cooperate with all investigating authorities. In this spirit, you will not comment publicly about ongoing legal proceedings Given the seriousness of the allegations, until relevant information and clarification is provided by the competent authorities, we request the suspension of work on any filing and plenary vote regarding the Gulf States, in particular visa liberalization and the planned visits", the socialist group has reacted after learning of the possible involvement of a vice president and her family.

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