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Several EU lawmakers have called for transparency measures of late in light of Qatargate. corruption case What shook the European Parliament, Transparency International analysis published Shows Wednesday.
Transparency International EU has analyzed all third-party event (or “visit”) declarations submitted by MEPs since the start of the current parliamentary term in 2019, in the light of the Qatargate scandal in which investigators are investigating current and former MEPs. Alleged whether Qatar and Morocco illegally influenced the work of Parliament.
MEPs should in principle declare every event organized by a third party where their travel, accommodation or other expenses were paid for or reimbursed by a third party, “on the next day after the last date for the member’s attendance”. not later than the last day of the month in accordance with a rule established in the “event,” 2013,
But in practice so far many MPs have not followed this rule.
And surprisingly, there was a significant increase in the number of declarations submitted just after the Qatargate revelations.
Of the total 321 declarations submitted during the first three and a half years of the current parliamentary term, 103 (32 percent of all declarations) were submitted during the two-month period since the Qatargate story broke on 9 December 2022. , finds analysis.
According to the findings, out of those 103 declarations, 69 were delayed declarations (67 per cent).
After the scandal, MEPs “are rushing to publish announcements about their attendance at events paid for by third parties – known as freebies or junkets,” wrote Rafael Kergueño, Senior Policy Officer on Transparency International’s EU Integrity Team. Is known”.
The analysis also broke down all submissions by political groups, showing that the Socialists and Democrats group submitted late 27 of its total of 45 declarations during the parliamentary term; While the European People’s Party had by far the largest number of event declarations overall (113) and also the most late submissions by total (30).
The S&D group was affected by the Qatargate scandal, with several MEPs – including a parliament deputy speaker – arrested, while the EPP tried to form political capital From this
The analysis shows that MEP José Ramón Bauza Díaz of the Renew Europe group filed the most declarations after Qatargate. Bauza Díaz did not immediately respond to POLITICO’s request for comment.
Parliament Speaker Roberta Metsola Ongoing Initial 14-point list of reforms to strengthen transparency and integrity rules at the start of the year, and the Leader of Parliament Supported Based on that initial improvement steps.
However, Transparency International concluded that while Metsola’s reform proposal is “a big step in the right direction”, it does not go far enough.
“This latest flurry of scandal-driven transparency activity demonstrates once again that Parliament is unable, unwilling, or both, to enforce its own ethics rules. Self-policing doesn’t work. The system is not fit for purpose,” the report said.