What is Qatar scandal that rocked European Parliament? Know here

A shocking scam involving Qatar emerged after the Belgian federal police conducted at least 16 raids. According to media reports, the authorities unearthed what appears to be the most serious scandal to rock Brussels in a very long time. Per reports, the police recovered at least €600,000 in cash, along with a few mobile phones and computers.

The federal police arrested five people on Friday and booked them under the charges of criminal money laundering, criminal organization, and corruption. At first, complete identity wasn’t confirmed, but it was revealed that those arrested included a vice president of the European Parliament, a few political assistants, and a boss of a trade union.

Later in the evening, things became clearer. One of those arrested was Eva Kaili, vice-president of the European Parliament and a vocal supporter of Qatar. The Belgian federal police also confirmed that the case involves an NGO with some of the biggest left-wing politicians on its board until recently. The police have accused the EU lawmaker was bribed by Doha.


However, Qatar has denied the charges. In an official statement, the Gulf nation said that it categorically rejected attempts to associate it with misconduct accusations. The statement claimed that the Qatari regime operated in complete compliance with international laws and regulations. The Socialists and Democrats Group, to which Kaili belonged, said it had a “zero tolerance” policy for corruption and it would carry out an independent investigation.



As per a BBC report, the investigators suspected that Qatar might have been influencing the economic and political affairs of the European Parliament for months. The investigators claimed that Doha was targeting aides in the parliament by offering large sums of money or gifts to those holding a significant political position.

Similarly, Qatar was earlier accused of resorting to corrupt means to win the bid to host the FIFA World Cup 2022, though the country denied such allegations and was subsequently cleared by FIFA as well. Corruption has emerged as one of the biggest issues for the EU economy. The 2016 estimates suggested that the EU lost tax revenue and investment up to €900 billion every year due to corruption.

FAQs:

1. Who’s the politician arrested by the Belgian federal police?
   European Parliament Vice President Eva Kaili.
2. How much cash did the police recover in Brussels?
   €600,000 in cash, along with mobile phones and computers.