An investigation by Belgian authorities into alleged corruption between World Cup hosts Qatar and members of the European Parliament, leading to the arrest of Greek MEP and European Parliament Vice-President Eva Kaili, has caused a political earthquake in Athens ahead of crucial elections due next year.
On Friday, Belgian police carried out at least 16 raids which resulted in five arrests for “alleged offences of criminal organisation, corruption and money laundering” and the seizure of €600,000 in cash, plus phones and computers.
Kali, a member of the Pan-Hellenic Socialist Movement (Pasok), which is affiliated with the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) in the European Parliament, was detained and has since been sacked by both groups.
Dubbed “Qatargate”, the scandal has erupted amid an ongoing wiretapping scandal, the so-called “Greek Watergate”, which has poisoned Greek politics and has created a toxic atmosphere in the country.
Clash with ruling New Democracy
“I will not compromise with those who hurt the party”, said Pasok leader Nikos Androulakis, who was the first victim of the surveillance scandal after his phone was bugged by Greek secret services.
To keep his distance from Kaili, Androulakis said since his election to the party’s presidency, she had been acting as a “Trojan Horse” of the ruling New Democracy party (EPP).
“New Democracy used her as a Trojan Horse […], and now they pretend they don’t know her”, Androulakis said.
The ruling New Democracy party reacted strongly, accusing the Pasok leader of “political audacity”.
“It is inconceivable that he [Androulakis] claims that the revelations about Ms Eva Kaili, a Pasok MEP, do not weigh on him and his party, but on New Democracy!” Greek government spokesperson Giannis Oikonomou said.
A difficult co-existence
Relations between Kaili and Androulakis have not been easy.
When it was discovered Androulakis’ phone was bugged she tried to downplay the issue and expressed views that broke from the party line.
One of these cases was a resolution on Qatar and the World Cup when she said Qatar is a “frontrunner in labour rights”.
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“Today’s World Cup proves how sports diplomacy can achieve a historical transformation of a country with reforms that inspired the Arab world. ILO said Qatar is a frontrunner in labour rights,” she said.
Androulakis reacted by saying these were personal views that in no way reflect the position of both Pasok and S&D.
Another example was when the Greek MEP broke the S&D line for the selection of the next secretary of the European Parliament and voted in favour of the centre-right EPP candidate, Alessandro Chiocchetti.
EURACTIV Greece reported last September that after the vote, a closed-door S&D meeting took place in which socialist lawmakers lashed out at her for her position.
Referring to the clash between New Democracy and Pasok over Kaili’s case, Dimitris Papadimoulis, Vice-President of the European Parliament and head of leftist Syriza group (EU Left), said they are “both right and have a share of responsibility”.
But he added that everything showed that she felt and operated closer to the EPP than to the socialists.
“Unfortunately, the S&D, although it was ware of these intentions, chose her for one of the five vice-presidency positions to which it was entitled”, he told EURACTIV.
Papadimoulis added that before the election of the EU House’s leadership, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was also “advertising” that he personally campaigned for Kaili to be elected as vice president.
For Renew Europe MEP Giorgos Kyrtsos, from one point on, Kaili could not agree on anything with Androulakis.
He told EURACTIV that in the corridors of the EU House, the impression was that she preparing to move to New Democracy as the Pasok leader was not planning to put her on the list for the next EU elections.
“At some point, Kaili said we owe a lot to Qatar because it has positively influenced Turkey […] Qatar is one of Turkey’s main sponsors and is actually one of the countries supporting Turkey’s presence in Libya”, he noted.
“It was obvious that something was wrong, and she had gone the wrong way in relation to Qatar”, Kyrtsos said.
The impact on the elections
Following the clash with New Democracy over the “Qatargate”, Pasok leader Androulakis said the party should remain united and push for a “progressive” change to overturn the country’s establishment.
“These progressive ideas will send New Democracy to the opposition and create a progressive government with Pasok as the protagonist,” Androulakis said.
This is the first time that the Pasok leader has publicly ruled out a post-election collaboration with New Democracy.
The elections are due in 2023 but rumours that the country could be heading for a snap election are increasing.
The elections will take place based on a new electoral law and according to the polls, only a coalition of parties will be able to form a government.
New Democracy is currently leading the polls followed by leftist Syriza and Pasok, with the latter expected to play the kingmaker role.
Main opposition Syriza party has been asking that the country’s progressive political powers join forces against the conservatives.
“The EU socialists obviously want a progressive government in Greece with the cooperation of the largest party of the wider Left [Syriza], with the smaller party in this area of the centre-left [Pasok]. This is what they would like, it is obvious”, Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras told EURACTIV in an interview last June.
[Sarantis Michalopoulos | EURACTIV.com – Edited by Alice Taylor]
Source: euractiv.com
