David Lega was offered a luxury trip to the United Arab Emirates

David Lega flew business class and stayed in a five-star hotel for five nights, according to the report submitted to the European Parliament.

The official news channel of the UAE believes that the EU politician later spoke positively about the country. However, David Lega has defended the trip, according to the paper, and believes it raised problems with the venue’s lack of democracy.

Sure, that’s my job. It is a dictatorship and it is important that we offer the criticism we have when we are there. I have been very tough with the UAE in the resolutions we voted on. You have been harder than my party. I broke the party line, so when they refrained from criticizing, I voted for criticism. But it’s also important – they want to get closer to Europe – and then we should also be able to have a relationship where we talk to each other, he tells Aftonbladet.

Lack of money for the trip

David Lega wrote in his report to Parliament that the visit was about children’s rights and the welfare of people with disabilities. Traveled as part of the Intergroup for Children’s Rights. There, David Lega is the representative of the head of the European People’s Party, the Christian Democratic and Liberal Conservative group in Parliament.

When asked why the organization did not pay for the trip itself, Aftonbladet told Aftonbladet that they did not have the budget for it.

– If the budget had been there, it would obviously have been much better, he says.

David Lega, before becoming the representative of the Christian Democrats in the Parliament of the European Union, was a municipal councilor in Gothenburg for nine years. Among other things, he sat on the Sports and Association Committee. However, David Lega was well known as an outstanding swimmer before that. He participated in two Paralympic Games and broke several world records.

Gothenburg-Boston is looking for David Lega for comment.

The text has been updated.