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A month after the revelations about the “Qatargate” corruption scandal in the European Parliament, MEPs are meeting in plenary session from 16 to 19 January. In particular, it is a question of examining the lifting of the immunity of the two MEPs implicated.
« Those responsible will find Parliament on the side of the law. “From the beginning of January, President Roberta Metsola said: her institution will do everything to help the investigators. And it starts in Strasbourg on Monday, since the President of the European Parliament is due to announce, during the plenary session, the opening of the procedure for lifting the immunity of the two deputies involved in Qatargate, the Italian Andréa Cozzolino and the Belgian Marc Taraballa, both social democrats.
The Legal Affairs Committee will then study the file. It is only next month, during the February plenary session, that MEPs will vote on the issue of lifting the immunity of the two parliamentarians. But in Strasbourg, there is no doubt: not one group will oppose it.
Sylvie Guillaume, French PS MEP from the same parliamentary group (S&D) as the two accused, thinks that this lifting will shed more light on this affair. ” It is necessary in a way, since it allows these two members to defend themselves “, she argues.
The elected member of the National Rally (RN) Jean-Lin Lacapelle calls to go even further, with the establishment of a parliamentary commission. A request which has not yet been accepted by the European Parliament. “ We asked for an investigation, a parliamentary commission […] We want to know today who has been corrupted, at what level, and we will try to ensure that things go very quickly. It is the reputation and image of the European Parliament that is in question “, Estimates the MEP of the RN.
Towards new rules of ethics
In the coming days, everyone should rather focus on their tracks to strengthen the ethical rules of MEPs. For MEP Sylvie Guillaume, the existing rules must be made compulsory and generalized to be more effective. “ When, for example, you are the rapporteur for a text, you have to provide what is called a legislative imprint, that is to say, to show the appointments that we have to build our point of viewexplains the elected socialist. It is necessary for example that this kind of elements is generalized. »
On Thursday 12 January, the President of the European Parliament presented to the presidents of the political groups her plan to fight against conflicts of interest and interference from third countries. One of the priorities of this fourteen-point plan is to ban MEPs from lobbying activities at the end of their mandate.
► To listen also: Crossroads of Europe – Will the shock wave of Qatargate force the European Parliament to improve its practices?