Metsola: The days of business as usual are over (Updated)

President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola on Thursday pledged the assembly would get to the bottom of a criminal corruption scandal, stressing that the days of ‘business as usual’ were over, as the body itself suspended all work on legislation linked to Qatar.

EU lawmakers backed by 541 votes to two passed a resolution saying they were “appalled” by the alleged corruption and money laundering by one of their number, a former lawmaker and a staff member.

The parliament said it “denounces” the Gulf state’s alleged attempts to seek influence “through acts of corruption, which constitute serious foreign interference in the EU’s democratic processes”.

Prosecutors suspect Greek MEP Eva Kaili and three others accepted bribes from World Cup host Qatar in a bid to influence European Union policymaking in one of the biggest scandals to hit the 27-nation bloc.

Qatar and Kaili, through a lawyer, have denied any wrongdoing.

The parliament said it would suspend all work on legislative files relating to Qatar, notably on visa liberalisation, an EU-Qatar aviation agreement and planned visits until the allegations had been confirmed or dismissed.

Qatari representatives would be barred from accessing parliament’s premises.

The lawmakers expressed concern about conflicts of interest from side-jobs, pressed for MEPs to declare their assets and for external financing of MEPs or staff to be prohibited, including a ban on donations from non-EU countries.

Metsola told the 27 EU leaders meeting for a summit in Brussels that information received from Belgian authorities showed there were serious suspicions that “people linked to autocratic governments” were seeking to subvert EU democracy.

Metsola, who acts as speaker of the parliament, promised to lead a “strong process of reform,” though she said she recognised there would always be some people “for whom a bag of cash is always worth the risk.”

“It is essential that these people understand that they will get caught. That there will be consequences. That our services work and that they will face the full extent of the law,” she said, according to the transcript of her remarks to leaders.

“That is how we respond to re-build trust. Trust as we know takes years to build and moments to destroy.”

Metsola told a subsequent news conference that parliament would look into who could enter its premises and at non-government organisations listed on its transparency register.

She said it had already struck off No Peace Without Justice, a campaign group whose secretary-general, Niccolo Figa-Talamanca, is one of the three others also charged with corruption and money laundering in the case.

No Peace Without Justice has said its secretary general had suspended himself from his role to safeguard the organisation and that the group trusted the investigation would show he had acted correctly.

Reuters could not reach the three suspects or their lawyers for comment. None of the other non-profit organisations they work with have responded to emailed requests seeking comment.

“There will be no impunity, no sweeping under the carpet, and no business as usual,” Metsola told reporters after the parliament president’s traditional meeting with EU leaders at the start of each European Council.

Metsola said the criminal proceedings are “damaging for democracy, for Europe, and for everything we stand for.”

“There is not enough monitoring, not enough control, not enough control over who pays for any travel, […] or declare what you receive on certain trips,” she told reporters.

Metsola, in her speech, referred to the “longest days” of her career and to her “fury, anger and sorrow” over the shocking developments.

“These malign actors linked to autocratic third countries have allegedly weaponised NGOs, unions, individuals, assistants and Members of the European Parliament in an effort to subdue our processes. Their malicious plans failed,” she said.

“I know also that we are not at the end of the road and we will continue to assist in investigations, together with other EU institutions, for as long as it takes. Corruption cannot pay and we have played our part in ensuring these plans could not materialise.

“To those malign actors in third countries who think they can buy their way forward, who think Europe is for sale, who think they can take over our NGOs, let me say: ‘You will find this parliament firmly in your way’.

“We are Europeans, we would rather be cold than bought.”

Metsola said the allegations surrounding Kaili were not about “left or right” but about “right and wrong” and urged lawmakers to “resist the temptation to exploit this moment for political gain.”

“Do not cheapen the threat we are facing,” she asked them.

“There will be no sweeping under the carpet,” she said. “We will launch an internal investigation to look at all the facts related to the Parliament and to look at how our systems can become yet more watertight.”