Étiquette : corruption

  • Qatargate: Extradition de Cozzolino, l’audience reportée au 11 avril

    Tags : Maroc-Qatargate, Andrea Cozzolino, Parlement Européen, corruption, Antonio Panzeri, Eva Kaili, Francesco Giorgi,

    Bruxelles – Alors que la cour d’appel de Naples a décidé de surseoir pour la troisième fois à la décision d’extradition de l’eurodéputé Andrea Cozzolino vers la Belgique , le tribunal de Bruxelles a confirmé le juge qui l’accusait de « participation à organisation criminelle, corruption et blanchiment d’argent » et qui avait demandé sa livraison, Michel Claise .

    Cozzolino, assigné à résidence depuis le 11 février dernier , s’est présenté ce matin vers 11 heures à la section des mesures de prévention de la cour d’appel de la capitale Campanie, accompagné des avocats Federico Conte et Dezio Ferraro : après avoir accepté les demandes des avocats, les juges ont ordonné une nouvelle audience le 11 avril . Les demandes présentées par les avocats de l’eurodéputé portent sur la validité du mandat d’arrêt international, le rôle présumé des services secrets dans les enquêtes et les conditions des prisons belges, qui selon les avocats sont incompatibles avec les conditions de santé de Cozzolino, qui souffre du cardiaque.

    En attendant, le juge d’instruction Michel Claise revient à son poste : la demande de récusation déposée par l’avocat de l’autre député européen mis en cause, le Belge Marc Tarabella, a été jugée par la Cour d’appel de Bruxelles « recevable mais non fondée », comme le rapporte le journal Le Soir . Selon l’avocat de l’eurodéputé socialiste, Maxim Töller, la présomption d’innocence envers son client aurait disparu. Mais Claise avait rejeté la demande, transmise le 16 février, et attendu jusqu’à aujourd’hui pour pouvoir revenir à la tête de l’enquête baptisée Qatargate.

    Source

  • La Cour de cassation rejette l’appel de Kaili et Tarabella contre leur détention

    Tags : Qatargate, Eva Kaili, Marc Tarabella, Parlement Européen, corruption, Antonio Panzeri, Francesco Giorgi,

    La Cour de cassation a rejeté mercredi les appels interjetés par l’ancienne vice-présidente grecque du Parlement européen, Eva Kaili, et l’eurodéputé belge Marc Tarabella contre la décision de la chambre des mises en accusation bruxelloise de les maintenir en détention préventive dans le cadre de l’enquête sur les soupçons de corruption au Parlement européen.

    Le parquet fédéral mène depuis plusieurs mois une enquête à grande échelle sur des tentatives du Qatar d’influencer les prises de décisions économiques et politiques du Parlement européen. Cet État du Moyen-Orient aurait versé d’importantes sommes d’argent ou offert des cadeaux substantiels à des personnes occupant une position politique ou stratégique au sein et autour de l’hémicycle européen. Le Maroc est également apparu dans l’enquête, avec une possible tentative de corruption menée par son agence de renseignements, la DGED, et par son ambassadeur en Pologne, Abderrahim Atmoun.

    Les deux pays auraient tenté de peser sur les décisions européennes par l’entremise de l’Italien Pier Antonio Panzeri, un ex-eurodéputé, et son ONG Fight Impunity.

    Eva Kaili a été placée sous mandat d’arrêt le 11 décembre et Marc Tarabella le 10 février. Le 3 mars, la chambre des mises en accusation avait décidé de prolonger leur détention, confirmant une décision de la chambre du conseil quelques jours plus tôt. Une décision contre laquelle tous deux avaient ensuite introduit un pourvoi en cassation. L’ex-vice-présidente du Parlement européen n’avait pas apporté d’argument supplémentaire, tandis que la défense de Marc Tarabella en avait souligné quatre nouveaux.

    Dans les deux dossiers, la Cour de cassation a toutefois suivi le ministère public et rejeté les appels.

    Source

    #Qatargate #Marocgate #Moroccogate #Eva_Kaili #Marc_Tarabelle #Parlement_Européen #Corruption

  • Qatargate : le lobbying des anciens eurodéputés désormais mieux encadré

    Tags : Qatargate, Marocgate, Moroccogate, lobbying, Parlement Européen, corruption,

    Un accord politique a été trouvé : le lobbying des anciens eurodéputés sera interdit au sein du Parlement européen pendant six mois à la suite du Qatargate.


    Par Emmanuel Berretta

    La réforme des règles éthiques au Parlement européen connaît une première avancée. Roberta Metsola, la présidente, a obtenu lundi du bureau du Parlement l’interdiction du lobbying des anciens députés durant les six premiers mois après la fin de leur mandat. Cette période dite de « cooling off » est le fruit d’un compromis entre les formations politiques du Parlement. Entendons-nous bien : ils peuvent se convertir au lobbying quand bon leur semble, mais ils ne peuvent exercer d’activité de lobbying auprès de leurs anciens collègues dans les six mois qui suivent la fin de leur mandat.

    Dans l’affaire du Qatargate, l’ancien député socialiste italien Pier Antonio Panzeri s’était converti en activiste des droits de l’homme, une activité de lobbying parée de vertu trompeuse pour, en fait, étendre son réseau de corruption en faveur du Qatar et du Maroc auprès de ses anciens collègues parlementaires. Cette affaire a jeté une lumière crue sur l’accès illimité des anciens députés à l’enceinte du Parlement. Un privilège dont beaucoup se sont emparés pour pratiquer le lobbying sans déclarer cette activité au registre de transparence du Parlement. On ne comptait, en effet, que trois anciens députés officiellement inscrits au registre…

    Les socialistes lavent plus blanc

    Roberta Metsola s’est toutefois heurtée à certaines résistances, au sein même de sa famille politique, les démocrates-chrétiens du PPE. Lorsqu’elle avance cette proposition, elle préconise une période de « cooling off » de douze mois. Pour les députés PPE, c’est hors de question. En revanche, les Verts et les socialistes (qui ont des choses à faire oublier), la période d’interdiction doit s’étendre sur vingt-quatre mois. L’extrême gauche n’avait pas formulé clairement de période minimale mais, de toute façon, la période proposée lui paraissait trop courte.

    Pour passer cette réforme, nul besoin de toucher au statut des députés ni de passer par la voie législative. Roberta Metsola avait besoin d’une décision de la CoP (Conférence des présidents de groupe politique) et du bureau du Parlement (composé des 14 vice-présidents, représentant les divers groupes politiques du Parlement). Sur le papier, les deux instances paraissent un peu redondantes. Disons que la CoP est davantage l’expression des partis politiques tandis qu’au bureau, les vice-présidents représentent un peu plus eux-mêmes que leur groupe. Il n’est pas rare que les vice-présidents issus de la même famille politique se divisent, par exemple.

    La voix prépondérante de Metsola fait la décision

    La CoP a adopté la proposition de Metsola il y a déjà quelques semaines. Lundi, c’était au tour du bureau de s’exprimer. L’affaire s’est présentée de manière plus délicate au point que les 14 vice-présidents se sont neutralisés à 7 contre 7. D’un côté, les votes favorables à la proposition : les vice-présidents PPE, Renew (libéraux) et ECR (souverainistes). De l’autre, 7 voix contre considérant que six mois d’interdiction, c’est trop court : les 5 vice-présidents socialistes, le vice-président des Verts et le vice-président de The Left (extrême gauche). En cas d’égalité, c’est donc la voix de la présidente Roberta Metsola qui est prépondérante. On peut donc dire que la Maltaise a obtenu la décision qu’elle souhaitait, même si au départ, sa proposition d’un an de cooling off était plus ambitieuse.

    Techniquement, la durée de six mois correspond aussi à la période durant laquelle les anciens députés perçoivent une indemnité de fin de mandat, le temps de se retourner. « Si on avait allongé ce délai, il y avait un risque que les recours en justice aboutissent à une décision défavorable du juge pour un manque de proportionnalité de la mesure », indique-t-on au cabinet de la présidente. Si un ancien député déroge à la règle, les services du Parlement devront le signaler à la présidente Metsola, qui a le pouvoir de révoquer les droits d’accès de l’individu pris en faute, ainsi que les avantages attachés (accès au bar réservé au députés, couverture maladie, etc.).

    La fin des accréditations illimitées

    La réforme reste à affiner s’agissant des détails. Les anciens députés ne disposeront plus d’une accréditation illimitée (qui leur permettait aussi d’accréditer leur famille !). À l’avenir, ils devront justifier d’une accréditation journalière. Une application leur permettra de s’enregistrer à l’avance. S’ils se présentent à l’accueil du Parlement européen le jour même sans s’être annoncés, ils devront obtenir un badge au bureau des accréditations comme n’importe quel visiteur. Il est question d’aménager pour eux une voie rapide (fast lane, en anglais).

    D’autres mesures sont en préparation concernant l’encadrement des événements organisés au sein du Parlement. Le registre de la transparence devra être plus systématiquement rempli par les participants, y compris pour les événements créés par les députés eux-mêmes et leurs coorganisateurs. Bref, on ne rentre plus au Parlement européen comme dans un moulin. On veut savoir qui est dans les locaux. Fin d’une longue naïveté.

    Source

    #Qatargate #Marocgate #Parlement_européen #Corruption

  • Espagne: Nouvelles révélations concernant l’espionnage marocain

    Tags : Sahara Occidental, Maroc, BFMTV, Maroc-Qatargate, Parlement Européen, corruption,

    Après le scandale qui a ébranlé le parlement européen, puis BFMTV, et éventuellement d’autres institutions européennes, voilà encore que les coups tordus du Maroc révèlent une nouvelle facette, cette fois en Espagne.

    Selon des révélations faites par le journal espagnole, El Confidencial, la fille du commissaire général à l’information au niveau de la police nationale espagnole a travaillé pendant des années pour la DGDE marocaine dirigée par Yassine El Mansouri.

    La même source précise que Bárbara Barón, journaliste et fille d’un haut responsable de la police espagnole, a été recrutée par un certain Ahmed Charai, un des lieutenants de Yassine El Mansouri.

    La mission de cette recrue espagnole était de faire partie des réseaux implantés en Espagne pour défendre les intérêts du Makhzen.

    Les faits remontent, selon la même source, à la période allant de janvier 2012 à décembre 2017.

    Selon les révélations du journal espagnole, le pot aux roses a été découverts suite à la découverte de messages WhatsApp échangés le 24 septembre 2017 entre l’ancien chef de l’Unité centrale d’appui opérationnel de la police nationale espagnole et l’ancien secrétaire d’État à la sécurité.


    Les messages dévoilaient, selon le journal espagnole, qu’Ahmed Charai, payait la fille de l’ancien haut responsable de la police pour écrire des articles pour l’ Observateur marocain. Un journal, est-il expliqué, qui fait partie de Global Media Holding, un groupe de presse appartenant à Ahmed Charai.

    La journaliste espagnole préparait pour Charai ses voyages en Espagne, notamment à Madrid, et l’a accompagné à certains rendez-vous avec des politiciens, des policiers, des hommes d’affaires, des directeurs de médias et des experts en communication.

    Selon les détails révélés, Bárbara Barón intervenait dans un journal madrilène, favorables aux autorités marocaines,critiquait des opposants et le Front Polisario et surtout à faire l’éloge du roi du Maroc.

  • Le scandale du Qatargate de l’UE ne fait qu’empirer

    Tags : Parlement Européen, corruption, Antonio Panzeri, Eva Kaili, Francesco Giorgi, Maroc-Qatargate,

    Bruxelles n’a pas le droit de sermonner une nation sur la corruption.

    L’UE est toujours secouée par l’énorme scandale de corruption sur les relations louches entre les technocrates de l’UE et l’État pétrolier du Qatar. Tant et si bien que Cristiano Sebastiani, le chef du syndicat R&D des fonctionnaires européens, a admis que la bureaucratie européenne est « maintenant dans une situation très critique en ce qui concerne [sa] crédibilité ».

    Sebastiani a raison de s’inquiéter de l’impact du scandale du Qatargate en cours. Il se passe à peine une semaine sans qu’un autre politicien de l’UE ne soit aspiré dedans. Le dernier eurocrate à l’honneur est Henrik Hololei , le directeur général estonien du département de la mobilité et des transports de la Commission européenne. Il est apparu le mois dernier que Hololei avait pris des vols en classe affaires vers le Qatar, payés par le gouvernement qatari, à neuf reprises entre 2015 et 2021. Ce n’étaient pas non plus des cadeaux aléatoires. Les vols ont eu lieu alors que l’UE négociait un accord aérien avec le Qatar, qui a été signé en 2021.

    Ce qui est peut-être le plus scandaleux ici, ce sont moins les actions d’un seul eurocrate que la réponse de l’UE à leur égard. Depuis la révélation du scandale, la Commission européenne a défendu la décision de Hololei d’accepter les vols gratuits de Qatar Airways, affirmant qu’ils étaient « autorisés et effectués conformément aux règles applicables ». Les conflits d’intérêts potentiels avaient apparemment été « soigneusement examinés et exclus » à l’époque. Selon la Commission, la visite de Hololei au Qatar ne faisait pas partie des négociations UE-Qatar sur le transport aérien, et il « n’a jamais fait partie » du groupe négociant l’accord.


    Cette affirmation dépasse l’entendement. Hololei est directeur général du département des transports de la Commission depuis 2015, lorsque l’UE a entamé des négociations avec le Qatar. Son équipe menait les négociations.

    En effet, le bilan de Hololei suggère que quelqu’un est loin d’être indifférent aux négociations avec le Qatar. À de nombreuses reprises, il a loué et promu la collaboration avec le Qatar. En février 2019, il a publiquement célébré « l’engagement honnête et le dialogue ouvert » en cours entre le Qatar et l’UE. En juin de cette année-là, il a rencontré le ministre qatarien des Transports, Jassim Saif Ahmed Al-Sulaiti , à Paris pour discuter, comme l’a dit l’État qatari, des moyens de « renforcer les relations Qatar-Commission européenne dans les domaines de l’aviation civile et des transports ».

    Ces rencontres entre Hololei et Al-Sulaiti n’étaient pas sans conséquence. Et ils ont probablement joué un rôle clé dans la conclusion d’un accord sur l’aviation qui accordait aux compagnies aériennes basées au Qatar des droits d’atterrissage sur la plupart des destinations de l’UE. En échange de l’accès de Qatar Airways à un marché de 450 millions de personnes, les compagnies aériennes de l’UE ont obtenu l’accès à un marché de moins de trois millions de personnes. Les Qataris étaient sans aucun doute ravis de cet accord.

    Et pourtant, l’UE s’attend à ce que nous croyions que Hololei n’a joué aucun rôle dans la négociation de cet accord. Une grande partie de la défense de l’UE repose sur l’affirmation selon laquelle ses vols vers le Qatar étaient « autorisés » en vertu de ses règles. Pourtant, comme le rapporte Politico , l’homme qui a « autorisé » les vols gratuits de Hololei vers le Qatar n’était autre que Hololei lui-même. Comme l’a délicatement expliqué un porte-parole de la Commission européenne, « l’invitation et le contexte dans lequel le directeur général s’est déplacé lui ont fourni les éléments pour apprécier » s’il y avait conflit d’intérêts. Surprise, surprise, l’évaluation du directeur général, à savoir Hololei, était que les vols « ne constituaient pas un conflit d’intérêts ». Il semble avoir noté ses propres devoirs.

    Lorsque le Qatargate a frappé l’UE l’année dernière, la Commission a adopté une attitude plus sainte que toi. Il a insisté sur le fait que l’UE a des règles strictes sur les membres du personnel rencontrant des lobbyistes et sur les conflits d’intérêts potentiels. Mais ces dernières révélations suggèrent le contraire. Si les hauts fonctionnaires supervisent et approuvent leurs propres affaires de conflit d’intérêts, il est clair que les institutions de l’UE n’ont pas la capacité de se contrôler efficacement.

    La grande ironie est que les eurocrates se vantent toujours de leur attachement à « l’État de droit ». Ils utilisent l’État de droit comme une arme pour discipliner les opposants dont les opinions ne correspondent pas aux leurs. Pourtant, lorsqu’il s’agit des affaires propres de l’UE, la Commission renonce rapidement à l’État de droit au profit de l’élaboration des règles au fur et à mesure.

    C’est le paradoxe derrière les scandales de corruption apparemment interminables qui sévissent dans l’UE. La bureaucratie de l’UE est célèbre pour son obsession de l’élaboration de règles. Elle cherche continuellement à réguler toutes les dimensions de la vie sociale. Sa philosophie pourrait se résumer par le slogan « Si ça bouge, régulez-le ». Cependant, il n’est absolument pas disposé à soumettre ses propres pratiques et comportements à une telle réglementation. La persistance de ce double standard est le vrai scandale dans l’UE.

    Frank Furedi est le directeur exécutif du groupe de réflexion MCC-Bruxelles.

    Source

    #Parlement-Européen #Corruption #Maroc-Qatargate #Antonio_Panzeri #Eva_Kaili #Francesco_Giorgi

  • Algérie : Le fils d’un haut responsable politique accusé d’avoir porté atteinte à la sécurité de l’État

    Tags : Algérie, corruption, achat d’aéronefs,


    Le fils d’un haut responsable politique et ancien haut fonctionnaire de l’État fait face à une lourde accusation liée à l’atteinte à la sûreté de l’État, dans un dossier de corruption impliquant la compagnie Air Algérie, en plus de plusieurs autres accusations portées contre lui par le Doyen de l’Investigation. Les magistrats du tribunal Bir Mourad Rais d’Alger, qui transmettront le dossier au service de l’ordonnancement pour programmer le procès prochainement.

    Des détails en possession d’Echorouk montrent que le principal suspect dans l’affaire est le fils d’un éminent homme politique en Algérie, qui avait tenu, lors des phases d’enquête à la police judiciaire ou du premier procès-verbal d’audition avec le juge d’instruction, des propos graves qui ont affecté la sécurité de l’État, mais il est revenu sur ses déclarations lors de l’audience sur la question, et par respect pour la confidentialité de l’enquête, plus de détails ne peuvent être révélés.

    L’affaire concerne la fuite du cahier des charges lié à l’achat de 15 avions par le fils d’un haut responsable politique qui est le principal suspect dans le dossier, qui se trouve dans l’établissement pénitentiaire, par l’intermédiaire d’une hôtesse de l’air également en détention provisoire, après avoir fait office de médiateur pour lui auprès du sous-directeur des deals d’Air Algérie dit « B », détenu dans l’affaire à la prison de Koléa, en échange de l’avoir aidée à s’installer au Canada pour que le soi-disant « B » divulgue le deal Caractéristiques.

    Selon les sources d’Echorouk, le doyen des juges d’instruction près la première chambre du tribunal de Bir Mourad Rais a procédé, le 17 janvier, à une confrontation entre le principal suspect et le sous-directeur des affaires d’Air Algérie, « B », à condition que le dossier de février dernier soit transmis au ministère. Cependant, l’hôtesse de l’air, qui était détenue à l’établissement pénitentiaire de Kolea, a déposé une demande de libération auprès du juge d’instruction, qui l’a rejetée. Elle a fait appel devant la chambre d’accusation du Conseil judiciaire d’Alger, qui n’a pas encore statué sur la demande.

    En septembre dernier, Air Algérie a lancé un appel d’offres international pour l’achat de 15 nouveaux avions passagers, quatre mois après que le Conseil des ministres a approuvé l’expansion de sa flotte pour ouvrir de nouveaux vols.

    La société étatique a révélé que l’appel d’offres qui comprend des aéronefs de trois tailles, soit cinq aéronefs de la catégorie « A200 », trois aéronefs de la catégorie « B200 », cinq aéronefs de la catégorie « 300 » et deux aéronefs de la catégorie « 400 ».

    Le 8 mai 2022, le Conseil des ministres a approuvé « une licence permettant à Air Algérie d’acquérir 15 appareils pour ouvrir de nouveaux vols, notamment vers les pays d’Afrique et d’Asie ».

    Cela vient en parallèle avec les injonctions du président Tebboune au gouvernement et au ministère des Transports de trouver un plan urgent d’amélioration de la rentabilité d’Air Algérie, la stratégie de la compagnie à moyen terme étant axée sur le renouvellement de la flotte, le renforcement de la capacité de maintenance base, la mise en service du centre principal de la nouvelle aérogare d’Alger, et la digitalisation des processus administratifs et opérationnels ainsi que la formation des ouvriers.

    Source

    #Algérie #Corruption

  • Marie Arena was offered (without her knowledge?) a luxurious stay in Morocco

    Tags : Qatargate, European Parliament, corruption, bribery, Luca Visentini, Antonio Panzeri, Eva Kaili, Francesco Giorgi,

    Panzeri the repentant was, according to his own confession, generous with the money of his Moroccan friends: one of them would have offered him, in 2015, a stay with Marie Arena at La Mamounia, a mythical palace in Marrakech.

    By Joel Matriche and Louis Colart

    It was a bad day: by springing on Antonio Panzeri and Francesco Giorgi on 9 December last, the agents of the Belgian federal judicial police not only thwarted an operation of interference such as the European Parliament had never known, they also destroyed in the former MEP and his collaborator any hope of a Christmas on the balcony. “Atmoun was looking for a hotel for us in Marrakech, it’s a very well-known hotel,” Giorgi confessed to investigators just days after his arrest. Then: “I can confirm that everything was taken care of either by Atmoun or by someone from Morocco. Everything was offered. »

    This stay by invitation in December 2022 at La Mamounia – one of the most renowned five-star hotels in North Africa – would not have been a first for Panzeri: in 2017 or 2018, he recalled a few weeks in front of the police who auditioned him, it was in the company of Mr. Giorgi and his partner, the Greek MEP Eva Kaili, that he rested there for a week. At the expense of the Moroccan government or, at the very least, of one of its representatives: Abderrahim Atmoun, ambassador of the Cherifian kingdom in Poland and alleged corrupter of several members of the European Parliament. “These trips were totally (excluding extras) organized and paid for by Mr. Atmoun,” said Antonio Panzeri during his interrogation. “He texted us the flight numbers. We had nothing to do.

    Stay for two in a palace

    But long before that, it was Marie Arena who was entitled to a guided tour of the Marrakech palace in the company of her colleague Antonio Panzeri: “In 2015, there was a trip with Marie Arena. She accompanied me for two or three days to La Mamounia, where we met the Sahrawi community. “I think Marie Arena thinks it was me who invited her but, in reality, everything was taken care of by Atmoun”, further specifies the former Italian MEP in this report of the hearing that were able to consult Le Soir and La Repubblica. He does not specify at this time whether his friend paid the bill with his own funds or with those of the Moroccan state.

    However, it appears from diplomatic cables quoted by Le Soir in mid-January that in 2011, Rabat had identified the European parliamentarian as a key man who could « be a strong ally or a formidable adversary », a political interlocutor who was better to have as a friend than as an enemy. Two years later, in another confidential note summarizing the actions to be carried out in order to promote the « interests of Morocco within the European Parliament in 2013 », Panzeri was described as a « friend of Morocco ».

    Asked by Le Soir about this Moroccan excursion in 2015, Marie Arena did not respond. In her previous explanations, she had not hidden « a professional friendship » forged with the neo-repentant during the previous European legislature. Friendship which therefore grows today from this trip offered – perhaps unwittingly – by a Moroccan official.

    “The money and the trips were not taken care of by Atmoun but by a Moroccan agency”, continues Antonio Panzeri a little further in his hearing, without however specifying which trips and to which period he refers. “I discovered it because my hotel key was in a pocket with the name of the reservation. It was the DGED. That’s when I understood. » DGED, four initials for General Directorate of Studies and Documentation, the Moroccan external secret services. According to a declassified note from State Security submitted to the judicial investigation, Abderrahim Atmoun received his orders in this interference operation from a secret agent of the DGED, a certain Mohamed B. A well-prepared meeting.

    Invited on January 17 on the RTBF set, just after the signing of the repentance memorandum, one of Panzeri’s lawyers spoke out: « One of the reasons why Mr. Panzeri wanted to speak, it’s because he knows he betrayed some people’s trust and Marie Arena is one of them. (…) He believes that he is a very righteous person, who should not have been accused as is the case here. He will quote her name to say that she has absolutely nothing to do and that he would never have dared to offer her anything, ”promised Me Laurent Kennes.

    In audition, Antonio Panzeri kept this promise. On several occasions, as for this 2015 stay in Marrakech, he cleared the former minister-president of the French Community. « I want to clarify that it has nothing to do with these stories, » he says, for example, referring to the hidden deal with Qatar.

    However, investigators keep coming across the identity of the Montoise. The attitude of the resigning president of the human rights sub-committee around the hearing of the Minister of Labor of Qatar, Dr Ali bin Samikh Al Marri on November 14, 2022, is the perfect illustration of this. During one of his interrogations, Francesco Giorgi claimed to have met, in the company of Mr. Panzeri, a Qatari delegation on October 10, 2022 at the Wiltcher’s hotel in order to « prepare the minister for this scheduled hearing in Parliament ». Seized by investigators, video surveillance images attest to this meeting.

    Taking advantage of his visit to Brussels, Minister Al Marri discussed the next day, October 11, with official representatives of the EU: one of the vice-presidents of the Commission, a German MEP as well as Marie Arena, president of the sub-committee human rights. Two weeks later, to follow up on this meeting with her Qatari interlocutor, Ms. Arena officially invites her to take part in the meeting which will be organized on November 14 in Parliament in order, in particular, to discuss the rights of foreign workers in Qatar. Logical question: where did the idea come from to audition the Minister of Labor of Qatar on 14 November in Parliament? How could Dr. Al Marri be « prepared » on October 10 for a debate to which he was not yet formally invited? Also to this question.

    What still appears, in the light of telephone tapping carried out on Antonio Panzeri’s device, is that Marie Arena was not unaware that there was contact between the Qatari and his friend Antonio. On November 14, shortly after the end of this famous session in the human rights subcommittee, Marie Arena called the Italian. In this telephone interception which Le Soir has already reported, the second compliments the first for her intervention and announces to her that the minister (Mr. Al-Marri) is just as satisfied. La Montoise does not seem surprised by this connection between her friend and the Qatari authorities. To this curious telephone exchange, Ms. Arena did not wish to provide further details.

    While it does not appear in the hearings and testimonies to which Le Soir had access that the socialist could, unlike some of her colleagues, have been remunerated by her friend Antonio Panzeri or by a foreign intermediary, her promiscuity with the ex-elected Milanese make her more than ever appear as the one who was in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong person.

    “I found him a lawyer”
    By Louis Colart and Joël Matriche
    On December 9, 2022, when federal agents invaded apartments and offices in Brussels in order to carry out around fifteen searches and a handful of arrests, there was panic. Unable to reach her companion Francesco Giorgi, the Vice-President of the European Parliament, Eva Kaili, first tried her luck with Antonio Panzeri. Who does not pick up more since he, too, was brought in for questioning. « I then tried to join Marc Tarabella, then Marie Arena », says Ms. Kaili again during one of her auditions. “They told me they didn’t know why Panzeri wasn’t responding. »

    At the beginning of the afternoon, everyone knows that the trade unionist Luca Visentini, Francesco Giorgi, Niccolo Figa-Talamanca and Antonio Panzeri were arrested, in the light of the revelations of Le Soir and Knack. The fate of the latter worries M., one of his former assistants, as much as Marie Arena.

    – “Did you look for me? asks, picking up, the Belgian MEP to her interlocutor.

    – “Yes, I looked for you to say that in my opinion, he has been arrested. So you have to find him a lawyer. »

    – « I have already sent, I have already sent. It’s already done. –

    “Ah… OK”, reassures Mr.

    It is therefore, according to the content of this police listening, Marie Arena who urgently appointed a lawyer to represent her friend Antonio Panzeri. Was it already Mes Kennes and Uyttendaele? Contacted by Le Soir, neither the MEP nor the lawyers wanted to provide any details.

    https://www.lesoir.be/500522/article/2023-03-13/marie-arena-sest-fait-offre-son-insu-un-luxueux-sejour-au-maroc

    #Qatargate #European_Parliament #Corruption #Bribery #Antonio_Panzeri #Eva_Kaili #Francesco_Giorgi #Marie #Arena

  • Qatargate: Union boss Luca Visentini disavowed amid damning reports

    Tags : Qatargate, European Parliament, corruption, bribery, Luca Visentini, Antonio Panzeri, Eva Kaili, Francesco Giorgi,

    Luca Visentini, charged with corruption, was dismissed this weekend from his post as general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation. He admitted having received nearly 50,000 euros in cash from the hands of Antonio Panzeri. The internal and external investigations in the trade union organizations he led are cruel for the Italian.

    Luca Visentini at the head of the global trade union dome, end clap. The general council of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has « decided that Luca Visentini no longer has his confidence as general secretary », she said in a statement on Saturday. An “extraordinary world congress” will be organized “as soon as possible in order to elect a new secretary general”, specifies the text. This « vote of confidence » about the Italian trade unionist, following his indictment for corruption at the beginning of December, turned into a severe disavowal: out of 70 voters, 57 voted against Luca Visentini, 12 for and one abstention.

    The name of Luca Visentini (54) appeared on December 9 in this “Qatargate”. During the police operation that led to the arrest of Antonio Panzeri and others, Mr. Visentini was deprived of two nights of freedom, before being released on a double charge for corruption and money laundering, awarded by the judge of instruction Claise. Charges he disputes.

    The investigators had proof – in particular thanks to microphones placed by State Security in the Schaerbeek apartment of Mr. Panzeri – of at least one handover of cash. In a hearing, Luca Visentini admitted having received less than 50,000 euros in cash from the prodigal hands of the founder of the non-profit association Fight Impunity, to finance his electoral campaign.

    Former boss of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), Luca Visentini was indeed seeking the post of general secretary of the world organization, the ITUC. A dome that represents some 200 million workers worldwide. He will actually be elected to this position at a congress in Melbourne (Australia) on November 22, 2022. No time to savor this success: less than 20 days later, he was arrested by Belgian investigators.

    System failures
    His eviction this Saturday follows various reports from the ETUC and the ITUC, in particular an external audit of the European body, concluded on February 10, and that of the ITUC’s special commission of inquiry, delivered in early March. These two reports, which Le Soir obtained, are damning for Luca Visentini and point to systemic failures (in particular for the management of cash financing) on ​​the part of the two organizations.

    The investigations found the trace of 43,000 euros, distributed as follows: 10,000 euros deposited on September 21, 2022 with the CES (100 banknotes of 100 euros), presented as funds provided by the Italian union of Mr. Visentini – which is will turn out to be a lie. On November 10, the former secretary general added 3,000 euros in denominations of 20. On the side of the CSI, Luca Visentini entrusted 23,000 euros in cash to the number 2 of the organization, Owen Tudor, and to a treasurer. There remained 7,000 euros given by the former MEP – according to the confessions of MM. Panzeri and Visentini themselves – who had not “yet” been charged to election expenses at the time of the legal operation.

    The European Confederation notes in its report that the first payment of 10,000 euros took place before the cash transfer picked up by the microphones of State Security. Suggesting at least one more cash back. « It is simply unthinkable that a public figure, who moreover appears as an exposed figure in the European trade union movement, should receive substantial sums of money without a second thought », are indignant the rapporteurs of the external investigation. for the ETUC. The same criticize the Italian’s desire to continue to receive a salary from the ETUC at the end of 2022 when he had just obtained the supreme position at the level of the CSI. Not to mention that Luca Visentini “regularly used his position of power to achieve particularly high-end and expensive overnight stays as well as visits to exceptionally luxurious restaurants”. The listeners underline how Luca Visentini has “considerably damaged” the image of the European trade union movement.

    Made shortly before the eviction of this weekend, the report of the CSI is just as severe with Mr. Visentini. Without forgetting to castigate the organization itself, for having accepted with closed eyes so much cash coming, supposedly, from an NGO. On the other hand, the CSI report did not see any “pro-Qatar” or “pro-Morocco” effect following these cash deposits. The report also does not address the new accusations by the repentant Panzeri, recently revealed by Le Soir, Knack and La Repubblica, according to which 50,000 euros had been made available to the former Italian candidate for the post of general secretary of the CSI, Susanna Camusso. It was in 2018, still from Qatar, according to the « repentant » Panzeri. Ms. Camusso has sharply refuted any receipt of occult funds for her lost campaign against Sharan Burrow.

    Source

    #Qatargate #European_Parliament #Corruption #Bribery #Luca_Visentini #Antonio_Panzeri #Eva_Kaili #Francesco_Giorgi

  • Qatargate: world boss of trade unions removed from office

    Tags : International Trade Union Confederation, ITUC, European Parliament, corruption, Luca Visentini, Antonio Panzeri, Eva Kaili, Francesco Giorgi, Maroc_Qatargate, Marocgate, Morocco,

    The ITUC General Council (ITUC) has « decided that Luca Visentini no longer has his confidence as General Secretary », and an « Extraordinary World Congress » will be organized « as soon as possible with a view to electing a new secretary general,” the statement said.

    The Italian trade unionist Luca Visentini, implicated in the investigation for corruption in the European Parliament, was dismissed on Saturday from his post as general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the organization announced in a press release.

    The ITUC General Council (ITUC) has « decided that Luca Visentini no longer has his confidence as General Secretary », and an « Extraordinary World Congress » will be organized « as soon as possible with a view to electing a new secretary general,” the statement said.

    “The events of the past few months have considerably damaged the reputation of the ITUC. Important lessons have been learned (…) We are determined to protect the ITUC from any form of undue influence, and even from any suspicion of influence”, commented Akiko Gono, the president of the organization.

    The ITUC, which federates 338 unions in 168 countries and territories around the world, however, assures « that it has found no evidence of donations from Qatar or Morocco influencing its policies or programs ».

    Luca Visentini was arrested in December in the Belgian investigation into suspicions of corruption of MEPs involving Qatar and Morocco, then released on conditions after two days in police custody.

    The 54-year-old Italian admitted at the end of December to having received a cash payment « a donation of less than 50,000 euros » from the NGO Fight Impunity led by his compatriot, the former MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, considered to be the one of the key suspects in the case.

    Mr. Visentini had however assured that this donation was not linked to any attempt at corruption or influence peddling for the benefit of Qatar, but was intended to reimburse certain costs generated by his campaign to take the head of the ITUC.

    He was elected in november at the head of the organization, before being suspended from his functions on December 21.

    Source

    #International_Trade_Union_Confederation #ITUC #Qatargate #European_Parliament #Corruption #Antonio_Panzeri #Eva_Kaili #Francesco_Giorgi

  • Late declarations, false observation missions, prolonged stays: anomalies in the travels of MEPs

    Tags : European Parliament, corruption, Antonio Panzeri, Eva Kaili, Francesco Giorgi, Qatargate, Marocgate, Morocco,

    Le Soir collected all the declarations of trips financed by a third party published on the official website of the European Parliament during the current legislature. 328 journeys could thus be analysed. And there are surprises.

    MEPs sitting in the European Parliament have an obligation to declare their trips which have been financed, in whole or in part, by a third party. Since the Qatargate affair, several such trips have resurfaced; MEPs who « forgot » to declare them within the time limit. We are thinking in particular of the Belgian socialists Marc Tarabella and Marie Arena, invited for two nights by Qatar, or of the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola (two nights in Israel).

    Following these late notifications, Le Soir decided to collect all the declarations published on the official site of the European Parliament, during the current legislature, by the 705 deputies who compose it. By compiling all the details that appear in these documents: destination, organization inviting, date of travel, declaration deadline, number of hotel nights offered, means of transport covered, reason for travel, etc.

    It appears from this data collection that by stopping the count on January 31, 2023, 328 trips were declared (by 140 current MEPs and 15 elected officials who renounced their mandate along the way). Le Soir then carried out an unprecedented analysis which allows, among other things, to objectify the most popular destinations, the impact of Qatargate on the number of documents returned, or the differences in travel practices between political groups.

    Two important things to keep in mind:

    1 – MEPs who have traveled without ever declaring it escape this census (and violate the Parliament’s code of conduct). It is not possible for us to quantify this phenomenon;

    2 – Official missions paid for by Parliament and personal travel paid for by the MEP himself (or by his party) do not fall within the scope of this file.

    A month in Venezuela for a Spanish elected representative, 47 hotel nights offered to a Green deputy, seven days in Russia for a 72-hour event, 89 notifications published after the deadline… The monthly number of declarations has exploded over the past two months, after the Qatargate revelations. Coincidence?

    ITravel advisories are pouring in on the European Parliament’s website. While between January and November 2022, there were, on average, four declarations per month, 104 notifications of this type were submitted for the months of December 2022 and January 2023 alone, according to an analysis carried out by Le Soir . It’s hard not to see a post-Qatargate effect, which erupted on December 9, especially since 66% of declarations for the last two months were returned outside the time limit, sometimes more than 1,000 days late.

    As a reminder, MEPs, if they accept an invitation to take part in an event organized by third parties with all or part of the costs covered by the inviting power, must indicate this. Both to parliamentary services, via a form (which fits on an A4 sheet) and to European citizens, via an online publication. At the latest by the end of the month following their return to the country.

    Le Soir has analyzed the 328 declarations published since the beginning of the European legislature. A list that is probably not exhaustive. The cases pinned below concern, in fact, the 140 current elected officials who declared, sometimes late, but declared trips nonetheless. Among the remaining 565 MEPs, who said nothing at all (i.e. more than 80% of the assembly), it is not excluded that some cheat by omission and remain, for the time being, under the radar.

    In the data compiled by Le Soir , we find…

    1. Frequent flyers

    Most of the MEPs who declare have only one trip to their credit (they are 90 in this case). But there are some backpackers (see infographics). The prize for declared trips goes to Reinhard Bütikofer, German MP. Twenty-two trips, since the start of the legislature – concentrated in twenty-four months, the covid having imposed a pause of some 18 months. Thirteen different countries, including Australia, Russia, China, India, the United States… Journeys which may be all the more surprising as the great traveler sits with the Greens. Admittedly, the person concerned concentrates his parliamentary work on foreign issues – he chairs the Delegation for relations with China, sits in that with the United States as well as in the Foreign Affairs Committee. But we don’t talk here missions officially carried out (and financed) by the assembly. Nor travel that elected officials would pay « out of pocket » – in reality, that of Parliament, since each MEP can benefit from the reimbursement of travel expenses incurred « for purposes other than official meetings, for example to attend a conference or make a working visit », up to 4,716 euros per year.

    Reinhard Bütikofer has accepted plane tickets (in business or economy, depending on the distance), and a total of 47 hotel nights offered. To take part in forums, conferences, meetings… The prize goes to this one-week trip to Australia, where he benefited from a “tailor-made program for special guests”. Asked by Le Soir about the record he holds, the deputy believes that it is “important to travel”. And if, within his political group, some have doubts about the very principle of accepting trips paid for by third parties, Reinhard Bütikofer specifies “judge on a case-by-case basis”.

    2. Latecomers

    In this ranking, Katarina Barley comes first. The German Socialist MP returned ten of her thirteen statements out of time. The fault, as we often hear in the bays, with rules insufficiently explained to the newcomers? The one who is both a novice and also vice-president of Parliament, recognizes the delays. “It was not clear to me whether invitations from universities, or media performances, especially on German public broadcasters, had to be declared. “Among the events declared by the elected official include talk shows, conferences, a “sports press ball”, often for only one night, most of the time in Germany… “I want to be as transparent as possible , so I decided to declare everything, ”she explains again. “Big productions, like the shows I mentioned, usually pay for travel and accommodation for their guests. It is in any case a usual procedure in Germany, and this applies to the whole set. »

    No question, on the other hand, for the socialist, to invoke a “tedious” procedure which would explain the delays. The idea also made Danuta Hübner, EPP parliamentarian and president of the advisory committee on the conduct of deputies jump. “It takes a few seconds for a parliamentarian to inform his assistant who, for his part, needs five minutes to fill in the form based on the detailed information that one receives when one accepts an invitation. In theory, latecomers face penalties. But none has been pronounced since the start of the legislative, for late (or even erroneous) travel declarations. According to the count established by Le Soir, more than one declaration out of four has however been published late (27.1%) since the beginning of the legislature. Some documents are also incomplete: six MEPs for example omitted to specify that the flight which had been offered to them operated in “business” class.

    3. Travelers from the strange

    Travel declarations, which are succinct, by definition only offer a limited view of the content of the mission. The inviting powers are often mentioned in one line, sometimes limpid (an organization, an administration or a known company, a State, an embassy), sometimes more obscure (foundations, associations, entities summarized in a few initials). The on-site program is, most of the time, not detailed either. Not to mention, of course, the influence on legislative work…

    Still, some trips can raise questions. Such as those of Radoslaw Sikorski, a Polish member of the EPP. Who has traveled, since 2019, twice to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and once to the United States, for meetings of the Sir Bani Yas Forum (an event led by the Emirates). « I am a member of their distinguished advisory board, which also includes a former Prime Minister of Australia, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Kingdom… », explains the person concerned. It should be noted that, as mentioned in his declarations of financial interests, the deputy is paid by this same Forum a little more than 90,000 euros per year – nothing prohibits the « second job » for parliamentarians, provided that they declare the emoluments.

    Radoslaw Sikorski further emphasizes that he attaches all programs to his « scrupulously completed » declarations, which include two literary festivals to which he was invited in Greece and the United Kingdom. In the United States, however, it will be pointed out that, according to Mr. Sikorski’s notification , the SBY Forum meeting lasted 1h30; however, the « Ministry of the United Arab Emirates » paid for the round trip flight in business and four nights in a hotel there.

    And the Pole is not the only one to make the pleasure last. In 15 statements identified by Le Soir , the number of hotel nights offered by the third party exceeded the duration of the event by at least 48 hours. The most flagrant case: seven nights at the Radisson in Moscow paid for by the “Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation” for the Slovak Miroslav Radacovsky. As the conference ran from September 14 to 16, 2021.

    4. Election « observers »

    An express round trip, a few days to observe an election abroad and submit a report: the practice is common among MEPs. And for good reason, the observation missions are considered as a guarantee of the EU for the validity of the results, especially when the elections are organized in territories where democracy is considered to be in danger, such as in Russia or in Uzbekistan.

    Encouraged by experts in the field, such as the EPDE (the European Platform for Democratic Elections), they are however closely scrutinized: « We welcome these missions provided that the elections are not illegal, as is the case referendums/elections organized in the occupied territories. And provided that the observers follow a clear methodology according to international standards, they tell us.

    And this is where the shoe pinches: some missions find themselves in the crosshairs of informed observers when they are accused of legitimizing polls that are not very respectful of democracy. Since 2015, the EPDE has singled out 27 MEPs who participated in these observation missions deemed dubious. Among them, a large number of far-right MEPs belonging to the Identity and Democracy (ID) group. In 2021, 11 MEPs were singled out by Parliament for their participation in these observation missions, often all expenses paid by the hosts. Eight of them, who went to Crimea or Kazakhstan, were banned for the rest of the year from carrying out election observation missions. The other three sanctioned MEPs, all from the extreme Left (Clare Daly, Mick Wallace and Manu Pineda).

    According to the analysis of the Evening, the Spaniard Manu Pineda spent no less than 22 nights in Venezuelan territory, offered by the United Socialist Party of Venezuela or the National Electoral Council (three trips, between December 2020 and March 2022). “Manu has never taken part in an electoral observation mission”, assures the communication manager of Izquierda Unida – Unitas Podemos. “He participated in an electoral monitoring mission, along with hundreds of other representatives from different countries. It’s not the same thing. And Manu was not sanctioned by Parliament. Simply, he was excluded from electoral missions, until the end of 2021 because some of his statements to the press were misinterpreted, as if he were speaking on behalf of the European Parliament. As for the frequency of trips to Venezuela.

    Following a trip offered by the Baku authorities, two elected officials (Engin Eroglu and Franc Bogovic) suddenly changed their discourse on Azerbaijan.

    VScritical of the Baku regime, MEPs Engin Eroglu (Germany, Renew group) and Franc Bogovic (Slovenia, EPP group) have significantly softened their position after an invitation trip to this former Soviet republic in September 2022, revealed the December 7 Swedish investigative site Blankspot .

    Previously, in March, the two men had passed a resolution condemning the destruction by Azerbaijan of an important Armenian heritage and deploring “a policy of Armenophobia, historical revisionism and hatred towards Armenians encouraged by the Azerbaijani authorities”. In the same logic, Mr. Eroglu had on September 14 reproached on social networksto the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, for not having denounced Baku’s authoritarian and warlike excesses in her State of the Union speech: « During her speech, Ursula von der Leyen clearly indicated that the EU fully supports Ukraine. I’m happy about that, of course! (…) What is however interesting, for me, is what was not discussed (…) A few words critical of Azerbaijan would also have been appropriate. Ruled since 1993 by the Aliyev family, this southern Caucasian republic has a score of 9 – between Belarus and Sudan – on Freedom House , an NGO that continuously assesses access to political rights and civil liberties in 210 country. And she is in 154th position(out of 180) in the 2022 ranking of Reporters Without Borders.

    Carpets and vineyards

    Is it to judge for themselves the relevance of these criticisms that the two MEPs, a few days after the criticism addressed to the President of the Commission, flew to Baku? Still, responding to an invitation from the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, they landed on September 21 at Heydar Aliyev International Airport. On the program of this four-day visit, it emerges from the declaration that they deposited three months later on the offices of Parliament, official meetings, interviews with local journalists, the presentation of a « smart village » , a guided walk through the capital, a visit to the Carpet Museum and then a visit to a vineyard.

    Official reason for this tour: the two MEPs are members of the RUMRA & Smart villages intergroup, which focuses on the development of rural regions. It is in this capacity that they delivered, from the Marriott hotel which accommodated them, a long interview on the state television CBC, calling for a strengthening of the links – in particular energy – between the Union and the ‘Azerbaijan. A desire for cooperation that Engin Eroglu reiterated less than two months later on his Facebook account to conclude a meeting with the Azerbaijani ambassador to Germany.

    « This trip has indeed been declared, the delay is due to an administrative error », comments Mr. Bogovic. “This mission was carried out in complete transparency (…), the only goal was to visit a smart village, which was built in just nine months. Mr. Bogovic denies having suddenly, on his return from this trip, changed his opinion on Azerbaijan. “This mission was in fact completely devoid of political motivation, it was also a precondition. His travel companion did not respond to our request for clarification.

    Along with India, the Jewish state is the preferred destination for European elected representatives. Three organizations primarily fund these visits, which promote Israeli interests.

    Who wouldn’t dream of nights in luxury hotels, with a helicopter flight as a bonus? Several MEPs were able to live this experience during a trip paid for by pro-Israeli lobbies. Le Soir has gone through more than 300 declarations of trips by European parliamentarians, at the invitation of a third party, to understand who is inviting them. And two destinations stand out: India and Israel. These two countries each appear in 30 declarations completed by European elected representatives. This corresponds to 117 nights offered in India and 115 in the Jewish state.

    Figures probably underestimated, because the accounting is based only on those who declared their trips. The corruption scandal in the European Parliament has sparked a rush for the declaration form. But it’s a safe bet that all the « omissions » have not been regularized.

    Two Belgians

    Among the guests in Israel, we find in particular the President of the Parliament Roberta Metsola, and two Belgian MEPs: Assita Kanko (N-VA, ECR) and Tom Vandenkendelaere (CD&V, EPP).

    In November 2021, MEP N-VA, member of the Human Rights sub-committee, flew (in economy class which she paid for with her own money, only the hotel was offered) for a  » working visit” at the invitation of the European Leadership Network. “During these five days, we met a lot of people: Jews as well as Arabs, members of the Knesset or people from the army, journalists, students…”, she specified on her Twitter account. To our knowledge, the trip did not include meetings with Palestinian officials or associations active in the West Bank. « My vision of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is based on several aspects and a visit to a country is only one of these elements », reacted Assita Kanko, who underlines having asked « critical questions » during her stay.

    Of the eleven elected officials participating in the same trip, only five declared it. Estonian Andrus Ansip (Renew), Sweden’s David Lega (PPE), Slovenia’s Ljudmila Novak (PPE), Bulgaria’s Elena Yoncheva (S&D) and Spaniards Juan Ignacio Zoido (PPE) and Isabel Benjumea (PPE) did not not complied with this obligation. During another visit in October and November 2022, at least four MEPs from the delegation « failed » to declare their trip, which included a visit to Efrat, an illegal Israeli settlement in the West Bank, as well as a meeting with his mayor.

    The hyperactive Tom Vandenkendelaere, member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, visited Israel in early November 2022, at the invitation of the American Jewish Committee (AJC). During the six-day visit, the Belgian made a short stop in the Palestinian city of Ramallah, to meet Palestinians there. In the wake of his trip, on November 13, he said in plenary session his support for the two-state solution, stinging in passing the historic enemy of Israel, Iran. Soon, he said, he will meet Palestinian officials and UNRWA, the branch of the UN dedicated to Palestinian refugees.

    When they are invited to visit Israel, MEPs are mainly invited by three organisations: the European Leadership Network (Elnet), the AJC Transatlantic Institute and B’nai B’rith. These lobbies, which generally provide the flight (in economy class) and the hotel (luxury) have in common to defend the Israeli point of view within the EU.

    Elnet is “dedicated to strengthening relations between Europe and Israel, based on democratic values ​​and shared strategic interests”. Founded in 2016, the European branch of this organization communicates extensively on the very regular trips offered to European officials. On their website, a video galvanizes the educational virtues of these trips. “If you manage to solve the problems in Jerusalem, you have your route to solve the problems for all of Israel,” promises one of the speakers. Belgian MEP Assita Kanko (N-VA, ECR) says in this video that she was « shocked to see how much patience people can put into hate », during a visit to Hezbollah facilities in northern Israel.

    The AJC Transatlantic Institute is the Brussels branch of the hyperactive American pro-Israel lobby American Jewish Committee. In his sights: defence, NATO and the Iranian threat. But also a desire « to improve the well-being of the Jewish people and Israel, and to advance human rights and democratic values ​​in the United States, Europe and around the world », assures his website. The Transatlantic Institute « is aimed at decision-makers across the political spectrum from all relevant European institutions and services, as well as NATO and diplomatic missions to the EU, think tanks, journalists and to other civil society actors. Twenty MEPs took part in his trips.

    “Support the Israeli government”

    For its part, the B’nai B’rith is a historic international organization which promotes, in particular, « Jewish culture », « intercultural and interreligious dialogue » and « (combat) anti-Semitism ». Through meetings and conferences, the Europe branch “promotes” the interests of the State of Israel with European institutions. According to the organization, “for Jews around the world, the State of Israel is a special place. The welfare of the country is central to Jewish life. Like any other legitimate state, Israel has the right to defend itself against any act of aggression that threatens its citizens,” develops its website .

    Are these three organizations in direct contact with the Israeli state? Neither the Israeli representation to the EU nor Elnet responded to our questions. AJC Transatlantic Institute and B’nai B’rith have indicated that they are independent. “Whether or not they are financed or organized by the Israeli state is only secondary, in my opinion,” judge Martin Konecny, director of the European Middle East Project think tank. “They have their own motivation to support the Israeli government no matter what it does. They are guided by their nationalist sentiment.

    Between the need to exist on the international scene and the feeling of feeling watched, the deputies of the ID group and the conservatives of ECR ​​apply themselves to declaring all their trips.

    VS’is to the right of the right that we travel… or that we declare the most. 25.4% of conservative MEPs from the ECR group (which includes, among others, the Poles from PiS and the Italians from Fratelli d’Italia) have already declared at least one trip, compared to 23.4% for far-right MEPs of the ID group (with the Vlaams Belang or the National Rally), who always meet the deadline. « These are globetrotters who need, more than the others, to restore their image internationally and to establish contacts », assures Jean-Yves Camus, connoisseur of the far right and co-founder of the Observatory. political radicalism.

    Among the most active hosts with conservative and far-right MEPs, India (17 declared invitations) and two organizations in particular: the International Institute for Non-Aligned Studies and the Women’s Economic and Social ThinkTank. The “Modi connection” of Brussels is taking shape. Behind these two think tanks, the shadow of a certain Madi Sharma, an Indian lobbyist based in Brussels who facilitated meetings with the Indian nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi. These MEPs became the first delegation of foreign dignitaries to visit Kashmir since the repeal of Article 370 (which revoked the region’s autonomy). Vlaams Belang MEP Tom Vandendriessche was there. This is his only declared trip, and the Belgians of the ID group are not on the move: his two other colleagues from Belang, Filip de Man and Gerolf Annemans (who tells us that he did not receive an invitation), n declared no trips.

    “More exemplary than the most exemplary”

    Another zealous host, Russia. Since the start of the mandate, ten invitations have been issued by Russia to far-right MEPs, then accepted and declared. In 2020, the elected officials attended, according to their declaration, an “election observation mission” in Crimea – now annexed – at the invitation of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation. The EPDE (the European Platform for Democratic Elections), which has extensively documented these sham observation missions organized by the Russian government, warns: « Russia’s independent experts and observers claim that this institution was created to produce “fake” observers in Russia, in an effort to silence criticism from legitimate observers. »

    Since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, travel has obviously dried up. Let us note all the same a particularly badly named round table dating from mid-March 2021 – “Fight for peace” – which was attended by the French MEP for the National Rally Thierry Mariani, who is among the greatest travelers. Nicolas Sarkozy’s former minister spent 28 nights abroad on behalf of a third party (3 in India, 4 in Uzbekistan, 4 in Kazakhstan, 6 in Russia, 9 in Syria and 2 in Switzerland) and participated three times to these famous electoral observation missions. “He is in the crosshairs, he must declare”, judges the expert Jean-Yves Camus.

    And for good reason: the MEP, sanctioned in 2021 by the European Parliament alongside four other colleagues from the RN for an observation mission in Russia, knows he is being scrutinized. His trips to Syria, where Marine Le Pen’s party has forged ties with Bashar el-Assad’s regime, have also been singled out. « In our group there have been problems in the past [Marine Le Pen and three other former National Front MEPs have allegedly misused 620,000 euros of European public money, editor’s note] », recognizes Mariani. “The legislation is very clear: we declare and it’s transparent. It keeps us out of trouble. At the start of our term of office, there was a reminder within our group. When you are observed, you must be more exemplary than the most exemplary. »

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