The world press is in turmoil because of the scandal of the corruption of politicians of the European Parliament by the Qatari services. Spanish media released a new video about the case, which immortalized – Spanish MEP Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar. A politician who has repeatedly attacked Poland in the past was supposed to follow the instructions of those involved in Katargate on registration.
Chairman of the LIBE Committee (Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs) Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar – former Minister of Justice of Spain, allegedly received instructions from the instigators of Qatargate: Kaili and Tarabella, during the vote in the EP during which it was decided to liberalize Qatari visas. This is claimed today by the Spanish media, which revealed a new recording in the case.
This is the meeting of the LIBE committee, which took place on 1 December and was chaired by a Spanish MEP. Okdiario.com journalists quoted by tvp.info today say that Kaili and Tarabella were not members of the commission, but “given that the plan was to push through the Qatari visa waiver and avoid the surprises, they appeared in the Paul-Henri Spaak room at the European Parliament where the meeting was held.
In the aforementioned recording released today by Spanish journalists, Tarabella is seen approaching Lopez Aguilar. The gentlemen started talking, poring over the documents, which were captured by the cameras. It’s unclear what documents the politicians discussed, but ultimately Aguilar kept the ones Tarabella gave him.
During the break, Eva Kaili entered the room.
“She knew that there was not much time left before the start of the vote and she went directly to see her Spanish colleague. Kaili started whispering to him so that the other officials present couldn’t hear the conversation, which lasted about a minute. Lopez Aguilar even moved his chair a meter to get further away from the members of the commission”, indicates the okdiario.com portal, quoted by tvp.info.
Kaili and Tarabella, who were not members of the committee, voted to waive visas for Qatar “instead of other party members”.
“According to the rules of the European Parliament, any member of parliament can vote in place of another member of their group,” Aguilar explained in an interview with okdiario.com.
Here you will see the recording released by Spanish media.
Aguilar attacked Poland several times
In the past, Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar willingly attacked Poland several times. Let us remember how during the debate in the European Parliament, of course on the “rule of law” in Poland, he asked Radosław Sikorski and prof. Sadurski, “what else can he do”. In turn, during the LIBE committee meeting, he reportedly shouted at MEP Beata Kempe.
READ MORE: “It’s incredible!” MEP Aguilar shouted out to MEP Beata Kempa during a visit to Poland
runny nose
The corruption scandal erupted in December with the arrest of former EP vice-president, Greek socialist Eva Kaili, on suspicion of receiving huge bribes from Qatar. Her attorney, Michalis Dimitrakopoulus, said in December that the defense requested that she testify freely, using electronic surveillance, but the prosecution refused to do so. As a result, Kaili will remain in pre-trial detention in Belgium until at least January 22.
At the same time, the investigation into her case continues in Greece, where she also faces imprisonment. If Kaili is found guilty in Greece, the sentence handed down by the national judicial authority is likely to be harsher than in Belgium, where sentences for this type of crime are lenient – between 3 and 5 years in prison. In her country of origin, she faces 15 years in prison.
In Greece, Kaili is, among other things, under the control of the anti-money laundering office. The investigation into her case must determine whether she imported undeclared funds from abroad and invested them in Greece, mainly in real estate.
Kaili is not the only negative protagonist in the corruption scandal at the EP. His family and friends are also involved in the case.
Pier Antonio Panzeri, a former Italian MEP, is also in police custody. He is the founder of the non-governmental organization Fight Impunity. He was charged in connection with a corruption scandal. Panzeri’s request for release from prison has been adjourned until January 26.
MEP Mark Tarabella is Vice-Chair of the EP Delegation for Relations with the Countries of the Arabian Peninsula. His home was searched by the Belgian police. He suspended his membership of the Socialists and Democrats group.
At the beginning of January, the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, launched an emergency procedure to lift the immunity of two MEPs at the request of the Belgian judicial authorities. They are Andrea Cozzolino and Tarabella.
