Ombudsman demands EU explain flights paid by Qatar

AFP | Brussels

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com  

The EU ombudsman has demanded the European Commission explain a top official's flights paid for by Qatar, a letter published Monday said, as the bloc grapples with a graft scandal linked to the Gulf State.

The head of the EU's transport department Henrik Hololei travelled a number of times between 2015 and 2021 to Qatar at the expense of its government or organisations close to it.

The free business class trips - first reported by Politico last week - came as his department was involved in negotiating an air transport agreement with the Gulf State.

The news of the paid flights emerged as EU institutions are in the spotlight due to a high-profile scandal at the European Parliament involving alleged bribery by Qatar and Morocco.

"In the context of the ongoing corruption scandal involving current and former MEPs and non-EU countries, the role of third parties and how they seek to influence EU public officials, as you are aware, has come under renewed scrutiny," ombudsman Emily O'Reilly wrote to commission president Ursula von der Leyen.

"The Qatari government and organisations close to it paying for travel expenses for DG MOVE's most senior official gives rise to legitimate questions around possible undue influence of the EU's decision-making in this area."

The ombudsman laid out a series of questions for the EU's executive arm to answer by June 3, including how the visits were authorised and steps being promised to tighten rules around trips.

The European Commission has said Hololei's visits appeared to be in line with regulations at the time, but that it is going to limit the leeway for accepting such trips.

Commission spokesman Eric Mamer said the executive "will of course respond" to the questions from the ombudsman.

"We are already revising the rules to severely limit the cases in which such hospitality is allowed," he said.

Depending on the answers obtained, the mediator may decide whether or not to open an investigation, following which she may make recommendations.

The scandal around the European Parliament -- dubbed "Qatargate" by the media -- erupted in December when Belgian police detained a senior MEP, raided addresses in Brussels and seized over 1.5 million euros in cash.

Investigators suspect an alleged bribery scheme in which Qatar and Morocco funnelled money to EU politicians to influence decisions by the parliament.

Both Qatar and Morocco insist they played no role in the scandal.

The European Parliament voted in December to suspend work on all pending legislation relating to Qatar, including the air transport pact and a visa liberalisation deal.