Belgian probe in corruption case can 'negatively' impact relations: Qatar

A Qatari official condemned the Belgian investigation into an alleged attempt to influence the decisions of members of the European Parliament and said that it is based on "inaccurate" information and can impact the relationship between the two countries "negatively", Al Jazeera reported.

In the Sunday statement, a diplomat from Qatar's mission to the European Union reiterated a previous rejection of attempts to associate the Gulf country with misconduct. This comes after the Belgian police, on December 9, arrested a European Parliament lawmaker Eva Kaili and four other people on Friday in connection with the monetary payments by a Gulf country to influence the decisions of MEPs.
"Qatar was not the only party named in the investigation, yet our country has been exclusively criticized and attacked," the statement said. "We have observed this week's selective condemnation of our country with great alarm."

The diplomat added: "It is deeply disappointing that the Belgian government made no effort to engage with our government to establish the facts once they became aware of the allegations," according to Al Jazeera.

Last week, the European Parliament voted to suspend Qatari representatives' access to the body. Members also paused legislative work related to Qatar, including a visa waiver for Qataris and Kuwaitis traveling to the bloc and an EU-Qatar aviation agreement.
"The decision to impose such a discriminatory restriction that limits dialogue and cooperation on Qatar before the legal process has ended will negatively affect regional and global security cooperation, as well as ongoing discussions around global energy, poverty, and security," the diplomat said.

Meanwhile, in the EU, after finding Kaili's involvement in the case, the Greek political party to which she belonged, said they have expelled her and the Socialists and Democrats group suspended her, reported VoA.
"Following the latest developments and the Belgian authorities' investigation into corruption of European officials, MEP Eva Kaili is expelled from PASOK - Movement for Change by decision of President Nikos Androulakis," the party said on Twitter.
Kaili is often described as an up-and-coming power in the EU legislature by parliamentary sources. She was a member of the parliament's delegation for relations with the Arab Parliament, among other duties.
In a recent speech in parliament, she extolled Qatar's record as the soccer World Cup host, saying it had put its alleged human-rights problems behind it, reported VOA.

"The World Cup is proof of how sports diplomacy can achieve a historical transformation of a country with reforms that inspired the Arab world," she said. "I alone said that Qatar is a front-runner in labour rights."
The prosecutor's office said police conducted 16 searches in Brussels as part of a major investigation into an alleged criminal organization, corruption, and money laundering, and arrested four people, as per VOA News.

"For several months, investigators of the Federal Judicial Police have suspected a Gulf country of influencing the economic and political decisions of the European Parliament," the statement from the prosecutor's office said.
It said the alleged influence campaign was conducted through the payment of large sums of money and large gifts to people in political or strategic positions.