Former Belgian MEP Marie Arena has been charged with participating in the activities of a criminal organization in the context of the Qatargate scandal. She revealed this in an interview
with La Libre Belgique.
with La Libre Belgique.
Arena, who has been mentioned multiple times in the case, was questioned several times in early 2024 by the police.
She requested to be heard by the investigating judge. Arena claims the charges are an attempt to cover up years of neglect by the justice system and media lynching. She insists there is no evidence or clues justifying her indictment. “In reality, there is nothing to reproach me for. The investigating judge noted that I was not corrupt or laundering money. I am indicted because I know other people who are indicted for acts of corruption,” she explained. Arena also emphasized that she has not received any gifts.
The Qatargate scandal involves allegations of corruption within the European Parliament, with several MEPs and officials accused of doing political favors for countries like Qatar and Morocco in exchange for cash and gifts.
Belgian authorities had charged three more individuals in connection with the “Qatargate” bribery scandal that has rocked the European Parliament. The Qatargate scandal broke in December 2022, when police raids in Brussels uncovered 1.5 million euros in cash at the homes of Greek MEP Eva Kaili and former Italian MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri.
The three men, who have not been named, were indicted at the end of 2024. The indictments were officially announced during a closed-door hearing in Brussels.
The new indictments targeted former aides who worked for the Socialists and Democrats parliamentary group or were in the entourage of Panzeri and Francesco Giorgi. An Italian parliamentary assistant and Kaili’s boyfriend. According to Le Soir, the three men are suspected of having benefited from invitations paid for by Qatar. Including to a football match at the 2022 World Cup, and cash payments.
The new indictments bring the number of people charged in the case to around 15.