One year after a major bribery scandal involving the European Parliament was uncovered, Transparency International has critiqued the limited progress in addressing the issue. Shari Hinds from Transparency International commented to the German Press Agency, "As long as we don't change the culture in Parliament, corruption incidents like the one involving Eva Kaili could happen again." Although regulations are present, they aren't efficiently enforced or monitored. "At the moment, there are practically no consequences if the rules are not followed," Hinds stated.
The bribery scandal, which came to light in 2021, centered around then-Vice-President of the European Parliament, Eva Kaili. She was accused of membership in a criminal organization, money laundering, and corruption. The alleged mastermind, Antonio Panzeri, held a long-standing position in the EU Parliament before founding a non-governmental organization. During the investigation, investigators found large sums of cash, totaling 600,000 euros, in Panzeri's apartment. Bags filled with cash were also discovered at Kaili's home, according to media reports.
Alongside Kaili, Marc Tarabella and Andrea Cozzolino remain active Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), and Francesco Giorgi, Kaili's partner, is also under investigation. Panzeri reportedly provided Tarabella with more than 120,000 euros in cash in several installments to gain his support in relation to Qatar contracts. Cozzolino is alleged to have taken instructions for political positioning in the benefit of Qatar and Morocco from his assistant Giorgi.
Kaili, anxious about her imprisonment and separation from her young daughter, repeatedly denounced the harsh prison conditions in Belgium. Panzeri now serves as a key witness for investigators, having agreed to cooperate in exchange for a shorter prison sentence. The extent of the allegations' truth remains unclear, as the public prosecutor's office has indicated the need to investigate potential procedural errors. The examination of whether Kaili's immunity was violated in the investigations is scheduled for mid-May 2023.
In response to the scandal, the EU Parliament established stricter transparency rules, including declarations of assets at the beginning and end of mandates. The acceptance of gifts is also subject to increased scrutiny, and significantly more meetings with lobbyists must be publicly disclosed. However, Transparency International argues that this is not sufficient, as the main issue – the prevalence of a culture of impunity and the absence of integrity – has not been addressed.
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Transparency International has criticized the lack of progress in addressing corruption within the European Parliament following the Eva Kaili scandal. Though the EU Parliament has introduced stricter transparency regulations in response, the underlying culture of impunity and lack of integrity continues to persist. The EU's anti-corruption framework, including the European Commission and the Office of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), play a significant role in investigating corruption and fraud; however, challenges persist in implementing these measures effectively.
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