Europe

Elaine Byrne: Qatar corruption scandal puts credibility of EU in danger

The discovery that several sitting and former MEPs have taken bribes to boost Qatar’s influence with the EU has cast a bad light on the EU’s ethics system and increased calls for it to be overhauled

The shadow of corruption: although the current scandal involved the weakest of the three European institutions, it would be naive to assume that improper influence has not infiltrated the power brokers within the commission and council. Picture: AFP via Getty

Although the sun is setting on the Fifa World Cup, the tiny Middle Eastern emirate of Qatar continues to be the focus of global attention.

News emerged last week that MEPs from the European Parliament may have accepted bribes from Qatar. Eva Kaili, a Greek MEP from the Socialists and Democrats (S&D), was arrested alongside her partner Francesco Giorgi and two others by the Belgium police.

Police raids uncovered over €900,000 in cash in a ...