Sixteen searches were carried out by the police across the Belgian capital, where the European Parliament has its headquarters. In addition to the four arrests, around two-thirds of a million euros were seized along with computer equipment and mobile phones.
Among those arrested is a former European parliamentarian, according to the prosecution while a senior MEP has been suspended from her party after police launched an investigation into alleged illicit lobbying activities by Qatar.
European Parliament vice-president Eva Kaili was also said to be among those detained and has been expelled by her party. The Socialists and Democrats group in the EU Parliament (like most of the British mainstream media) have been heavily criticized over its soft stance on Qatar and its human rights abuses, in the run-up to the World Cup.
The Belgian website Le Soir and Knack reported those detained alongside Kaili included Luca Visentini, secretary general of the International Trade Union Confederation.
What is particularly interesting is that Kaili, one of the parliament’s 14 vice-presidents, recently called Qatar a “frontrunner in labour rights” after meeting with Qatar’s labour minister, despite the fact that many countries have serious concerns about conditions among those who built the stadia that have been used in the world cup. (See for example Small publication threatened by Qatar world cup committee over slavery allegations)
“For several months, investigators from the Federal Judicial Police suspect a Gulf country of influencing the European Parliament’s economic and political decisions,” the EU prosecutor’s statement added.
Qatar is accused of giving “substantial amounts of money” and gifts to members of the European Parliament, according to the prosecutor’s statement.
Qatar is a major liquefied natural gas to the west, and it has often been thought that the major efforts of some western nations to present Qatar in a positive light and allow no news whatsoever to upset the positive image of Qatar that has been projected, has at its heart a desire to keep Qatar onside in terms of its provision of liquified natural gas to the west.
The BBC has taken a while to get to the story but has now published the piece under the headline Ex-MEP arrested over allegations of bribery by Gulf state They note “a wider investigation into criminal organisation, corruption, and money laundering.” The report adds that “Qatar has repeatedly been accused of corruption, including in its bid to host the 2022 football World Cup.“
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This is of course just one of many stories that are not widely reported in the UK. As a further example you might like to read the piece…
Gaslighting: how refereeing in the Premier League is manipulated, and why the media never speak about it.
- 1: Are the referees and the media really out to get Arsenal, or am I just imagining it?
- 2: How discussions about refereeing are deliberately stifled by the media
- 3: Referees: the odd statistics that are simply never revealed or discussed
- 4: How we have been utterly misled about football: part 4
- 5: Hiding the problem of refereeing is destroying the credibility of the Premier League
- 6: Revealed: PL referees are not 98% accurate but actually just 75% accurate
Stop this, yes, Qatar is corrupt, but Britain is not far behind, just follow the news about what the British Government and its cabinet members do regularly.
It is becoming boring with so much Kettle calling the Pot…
Sal
OK, lets just stop reporting it, talking about it and ignore it. Brilliant idea that will improve matters won’t it.
@Sal,
well, as far as I am concerned, the corruption of british politicians is in the front page on a daily or weekly basis. That nothing is being done about it comes down to one factor : voters are not revolting and keep voting for corrupt politicians. It does not get more stupid if you ask me… but then, this is what we see in other contries.
So your arguing corruption from Qatar should not be mentionned because there already is corruption does not stand.
At least now we know that this country apparently corrupts not just some members of the football oligarchy around the world, but is doing same with politicians across Europe.
Glad Saka is coming home uninjured and not as the guy who missed the penalty. Same for out other 3 Lions and Martinelli.
It will be interesting to see if Kane gets the kind of shitstorm directed at him like Saka the last time.
My guess is he won’t.
Still, I’m fascinated by Giroud. Mr Wenger was right from the beginning. He knew he was better then good.
Giroud was and still is a world-class striker.
Prior to game, the expert pundit Mr. Rio Ferdinand said that Giroud, although a good player, is now 36 yrs old and therefore no threat to England, as Harry Maguire would be able to out-run and out-jump him. – just the sort of striker that Maguire can overcome!
Just one further example of many of a TV pundits talking out of his a…..
Chris and John L
Apart from Jesus it seems all our guys are coming home in tact, physically if not mentally. But lets hope a bit of time will see any of the guys suffering a little mentally will be okay once they’re are back in the fold.
Also none of them let themselves down. In fact some excelled. Martinelli showed that, despite some spiteful digs from some quarters prior to the tournament, he was well worthy of his place in the squad. The team even. Why on earth he was an un used sub against Croatia I’m not sure? Saka was immense. Why Southgate took him off last night is baffling. Despite Switzerland’s eventual capitulation at the hands of Portugal I thought Xhaka played very well. And despite their self deprecation there was nothing about either Partey of Tommys performances that warranted such feelings. I also thought Turner Acquitted himself pretty well. As for White? Not a clue what went on there but hopefully he’s fine.
So, despite the obvious exception it could of been worse.
Even our ex keepers have been brilliant. Who’d have thought.
.
As for Giroud. Anyone without the rabid anti Arsenal/Wenger bias that was prevalent during Girouds time at Arsenal knew how good he was. Not only was he a consistent scorer he was involved in 2 of the best goals we have ever scored. One of the best individual goals I have ever seen in the shape of the Scorpion and one of the best team goals I have ever seen in the shape of Wilsheres goal against Norwich.
He was magnificent for Arsenal and will always be a legend in my eyes
If you don’t believe me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_mATSh53t4
Wow, just wow
I am struggling to identify Ferdinand’s area of expertise.
Happy for Giroud but mostly interested in the reaction to Kane’s miss. This is the World Cup not the European Championships so I’d say the stakes are higher. The highest. Will he be vilified like England’s three young, black players for a missed PK attempt? NOT A CHANCE! It’ll be ‘poor ol’ ‘Arry’. ‘Level with Wazza on Int’l goals’, ‘done ‘is part’, etc.
The kids were getting death threats, FFS.
I haven’t seen any criticism of Kane yet and I don’t expect to. Of course you can’t put the loss on one player but that’s never stopped the journos before and if the miss were by Rashford or Saka or Sterling the reaction by the fans and media would be just like the loss to Italy. Sad to say.
I hope the suggestion isn’t that Kane wont receive criticism because he’s white and the 3 you mention would because they are black.
Batty, Southgate, Pearce, Hoddle all got pelters for missing penalties. Beckham received merciless criticism for his World cup red card for the most innocuous of kicks. England had a manager depicted in the papers with a turnip for a head. One ridiculed as the ‘walley with the brolley’. Adams had carrots thrown at him. Wenger had vile songs sang at him.
Yes, when it happens now it tends to be worse, but that’s because these vile cowards have anonymous platforms on which to spew their bile.
Kane may escape the excesses of criticism received by Saka and all those others I mentioned, but that will be because he plays for media favourites Spurs, and as we all know, Kane is as close to the embodiment of a Saint as you are likely to find this side of Rome.
Black white ginger, tall short fat skinny gay or straight. It’s what people do because people are nasty. Very sad I know. But unforetuneately a fact.