In a statement, the Qatari government criticizes the European investigation into corruption and warns that it will harm diplomatic relations and also business for the supply of natural gas.
The Qatari government criticized, this Sunday, the European investigation into corruption – launched after the scandal involving Eva Kaili – and warns that it will “negatively” affect diplomatic relations and, also, negotiations for the supply of natural gas by the country. Arab country.
In a statement, Doha complains that European entities with Qatar were the target of “discrimination” during the investigation. According to the Qatari diplomacy, the initiative will “negatively affect regional and global cooperation as well as ongoing negotiations on energy security and poverty”.
At the end of November, Qatar signed a natural gas export agreement with Germany for a period of 15 years. Under that agreement, Qatar would be replacing about 5% of the natural gas that Germany previously bought from Russia.
Qatar “spent a lot of money”, possibly with payments to MEPs, to ensure the “softness” of the European Parliament (EP) towards the country, Italian MEP Dino Giarrusso told Lusa, himself the target of dubious approaches by Qatari diplomatic officials.
As part of the case, 20 searches have been carried out so far, seizures have been made in 10 offices of parliamentary collaborators and more than one and a half million euros in cash have been found.
A Belgian judge decided last Sunday to indict Eva Kaili, a member of the European Socialists (from the Socialists and Democrats group, S&D), along with three other people, including her companion, the Italian Francesco Giorgi.
On suspicion that Qatari lobbyists were influencing the European Parliament’s political decisions, Belgian justice opened an investigation.
The Greek Anti-Money Laundering Authority ordered on Monday the seizure of assets (real estate, bank accounts, companies) of Eva Kaili and her close family members in the country, justifying that they may come from illegal activities.
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