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EU corruption scandal shows bloc should 'clean up its own mess' before 'lecturing' member states: Polish PM

16.12.2022 14:00
The latest corruption scandal in the European Parliament shows that the bloc needs to "clean up its own mess" before "lecturing member states" on the rule of law, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has said.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.PAP/Andrzej Lange

Speaking at a press conference after the EU leaders’ summit in Brussels, Morawiecki said on Thursday evening that the graft scandal currently rocking the European Parliament was a “huge mess” in the bloc’s own backyard.

“The European Parliament has really been compromised,” Morawiecki said, adding that it should first “clean its own mess” before "lecturing" member states on the rule of law.

This week, one of the biggest scandals ever to hit the European Union was revealed as European prosecutors said Greek MEP Eva Kaili and three others had accepted bribes from World Cup host Qatar in a bid to influence the bloc’s policymaking, the Reuters news agency reported.

On Friday, Kaili’s partner Francesco Giorgi confessed to his involvement in the scandal, saying he took bribes from Qatar to influence the European Parliament's decisions on Qatar, according to Reuters.

In his speech, Poland's Morawiecki said: “I suppose this is just a few people connected with this corruption scandal … But let's imagine how many Russian agents are circling the European Parliament.”

Kaili, who is currently in detention, faces criminal charges of money laundering and corruption after over EUR 1.5 million was discovered in bags in her home, according to reports.

Qatar and Kaili have denied any wrongdoing, Reuters reported.

(jh/gs)

Source: PAP, Reuters