On Friday 9 December, the Belgian police carried out 16 coordinated raids in Brussels. Five people were arrested and computers, mobile phones and 600,000 euros in cash were confiscated. It is suspected that the detainees received money or gifts from what the Belgian police describe as a “Gulf country” only in order to influence the European Parliament to take decisions in favor of the concerned Gulf state. It will soon be confirmed that the Gulf country in question is Qatar.
Among those arrested, in addition to the head of the world trade union Luca Visentini, is the former Social Democratic member of the European Parliament Pierre Antonio Panzieri, who now leads the well-known human rights organization “Fighting Impunity”. Moreover, a parliamentary aide who works partly as an advisor on Middle Eastern issues and partly linked to the fight against impunity was also arrested. In addition, Nicolo Vega Talamanca, who leads the non-profit organization No Peace Without Justice, which works on issues of democracy in the Middle East, was arrested. The organization has the same title as “Fighting Impunity”.
Later, Eva Kayli, one of the vice-presidents of the European Parliament, and her father were also arrested. Kylie is the partner of a previously arrested parliamentary aide. She has now been expelled from her Greek party PASOK and sacked from the S&D Social Democratic group in Parliament.
The common denominator among all those arrested is their links to the fight against impunity, which has a large political network in the European Union. The former liberal EU MP, Cecilia Wikstrom, was until last Friday an honorary board member of Fight Impunity, but resigned when she learned of the raids.
On Sunday 11 December, two of those arrested, including Luca Visentini, were released.
On Thursday, December 15, three people, including Kylie, remain in detention, while one person has been released in handcuffs, TT reported.
The scandal became known as Qatargate. It has shaken up the EU establishment and led to demands for a tougher line against the Kingdom of Qatar.
Qatar, for its part, categorically denied any involvement.
Sources: Politico Europe, ANSA, Euronews
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