EU credibility at stake in European Parliament graft probe, ministers say - Reuters.com

BRUSSELS, Dec 12 (Reuters) - The European Union's credibility is astatine stake, EU overseas ministers warned connected Monday, pursuing allegations Qatar lavished currency and gifts connected European Parliament officials to power decision-making.

Greece connected Monday froze the assets of a cardinal fishy successful the case, Eva Kaili, a vice president successful the European Parliament and 1 of 4 radical arrested and charged successful Belgium implicit the weekend, a root with cognition of the substance said.

Kaili's bureau did not respond to a petition for a comment. Qatar has denied immoderate wrongdoing.

Belgian prosecutors searched 16 houses and seized 600,000 euros ($631,800) successful Brussels connected Friday arsenic portion of the probe.

Four radical were subsequently charged with "participation successful a transgression organisation, wealth laundering and corruption," prosecutors said successful a connection connected Sunday.

They did not sanction the suspects, but the European Parliament said astatine the play it had suspended Kaili from her duties, portion the Greek socialist PASOK enactment announced it was expelling her from its ranks.

"This is an unbelievable incidental which has to beryllium cleared up wholly with the afloat unit of law," German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said arsenic she arrived for a regular gathering with her EU counterparts successful Brussels.

"This is astir the credibility of Europe."

Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney echoed her concern. "It is damaging. We request to get to the bottommost of it."

Belgian prosecutors said they had suspected for months that a Gulf authorities was trying to bargain power successful Brussels.

A root with cognition of the lawsuit said the authorities was Qatar. A Qatari authoritative denied astatine the play accusations of imaginable misconduct.

"Any relation of the Qatari authorities with the reported claims is baseless and gravely misinformed," the authoritative said.

BACKING QATAR

The probe comes arsenic World Cup big Qatar is successful the planetary spotlight, amid disapproval of its human rights record, including its attraction of migrant workers.

In a code successful the European Parliament connected Nov. 21, arsenic the month-long shot tourney was starting, Kaili lashed retired astatine Qatar's detractors and hailed the energy-rich Gulf State arsenic "a frontrunner successful labour rights".

"They committed to a imaginativeness by prime and they opened to the world. Still immoderate present are calling to discriminate them. They bully them and they impeach everyone that talks to them oregon engages (with them) of corruption," Kaili said.

As they arrived astatine Monday's EU meeting, ministers were speedy to condemn the alleged corruption.

"It is perfectly unacceptable, immoderate benignant of corruption," said Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky.

"Qatar is an important spouse for the vigor of the EU," helium noted, portion adding: "Of people the narration betwixt the EU and Qatar needs to beryllium built connected a acceptable of policies including quality rights and labour rights."

Some European diplomats told Reuters past period that unit to support bully ties with Qatar was expanding arsenic the continent headed towards a wintertime of vigor shortages due to the fact that of the Russian penetration of Ukraine.

The European Parliament was owed to ballot this week connected a connection to widen visa-free question to the EU for Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Ecuador.

Some lawmakers person suggested the ballot should beryllium postponed. Others person called for a statement connected the corruption raids. The European Parliament is acceptable to look astatine some requests successful a league that starts astatine 1600 GMT.

Reporting by Phil Blenkinsop successful Brussels and Lefteris Papadimas successful Athens, Additional reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta, Bart Meijer, Charlotte Van Campenhout and Angeliki Koutantou. Writing by Ingrid Melander; Editing by Crispian Balmer

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