Anthee Carassava is a journalist based in Athens, Greece.

I was not bribed by Qatar, says Greek MEP with trolleybag full of euros

10 Oct 2023  |  www.thetimes.com  |  English  |  Qatar

Greek MEP Eva Kaili denies allegations of being bribed by Qatar, despite €900,000 found in her home and hotel room. Her lawyer, Michalis Dimitrakopoulos, claims the money is not from Qatar and suggests her partner, Francesco Giorgi, may have answers. Kaili's involvement with Qatar, including meetings with its labor minister and attending the World Cup, has drawn scrutiny. The EU's relationship with Qatar, especially in light of the energy crisis and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, is under the spotlight. The scandal has prompted calls for better ethics oversight within the EU.

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Pier Antonio Panzeri Eva Kaili Michalis Dimitrakopoulos Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani Margaritis Schinas Ali bin Samikh al-Marri Francesco Giorgi Olivier Hoedeman Emily O’Reilly Ursula von der Leyen

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I’m a journalist based in Beirut covering Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. Available for lives, both video and audio. I specialise in covering humanitarian and refugee issues.

Explainer: Why did Europe's parliament sanction Morocco?

25 Jan 2023  |  www.newarab.com  |  English  |  Corruption Scandal

The European Parliament sanctioned Morocco, urging Rabat to release imprisoned journalists and uphold freedom of speech. This follows a corruption scandal involving MEPs and Moroccan and Qatari authorities, with allegations of Morocco's intelligence service influencing MEPs since 2019. The scandal has led to preventive detentions and seizures by law enforcement. Morocco and Qatar deny the accusations. The Moroccan parliament collectively condemned the resolution, and Morocco's Foreign Minister sees the EU partnership as under attack. Families of jailed journalists view the resolution as a symbolic victory.

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Pier Antonio Panzeri Alkerch Khalihenna Eva Kaili Francesco Giorgi Andrea Cozzolino José Bové Aziz Akhannouch Nasser Bourita Omar Radi

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Ana Fota is a freelancer reporter based in Brussels, who covers a wide range of topics of European interest. Her work has been published by The New York Times, POLITICO, Euronews, The Parliament Magazine, The Brussels Times and more. 
Until recently, she worked for POLITICO Europe covering news ...

How Qatar used a secret deal to bind itself to the EU Parliament

17 Feb 2023  |  www.politico.eu  |  English  |  European Union

Eva Kaili, the European Parliament’s vice president, was arrested in a corruption scandal involving Qatar and Morocco, accused of influencing the EU Parliament’s work. In 2018, Pier Antonio Panzeri, then a member of the Parliament, signed a cooperation deal with Qatar’s human rights commission, which was not officially recognized by the EU Parliament. This deal facilitated years of collaboration, including conferences and trips to Doha, with Qatar covering expenses. Panzeri has admitted to bribing MEPs in a plea deal, while Kaili and her partner, Francesco Giorgi, deny wrongdoing. The scandal has raised concerns about foreign influence and the lack of oversight in the EU Parliament.

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Pier Antonio Panzeri Eva Kaili Dimitris Avramopoulos Ali bin Samikh Al Marri Abdullah Bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani Francesco Giorgi Monika Hohlmeier Petras Auštrevičius Barbara Lochbihler Marie-Christine Vergiat Marc Tarabella Alessandra Moretti Cristian-Silviu Bușoi Maria Arena

I'm a multimedia reporter and writer. I have covered social change, conflict and rights in more than ten countries across the Middle East and Europe while based out of London, Rome and the West Bank.

I'm experienced across all aspects of digital journalism - from filing breaking news to ...

Khashoggi’s fiancee asks EU to put human rights before economy

19 Feb 2019  |  www.aljazeera.com  |  English  |  Justice

Hatice Cengiz, the fiancee of slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi, urged the European Union to prioritize human rights over economic interests and pressure Saudi Arabia for justice in Khashoggi's murder. Speaking at the European Parliament, Cengiz highlighted the lack of accountability for those implicated in the crime. The EU has been more vocal than its member states and the US in criticizing Riyadh, recently blacklisting Saudi Arabia for money laundering and terrorism financing. The article also mentions other human rights abuses in the Gulf region, including testimonies from Matthew Hedges and other victims, calling for the EU to address these issues consistently.

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Pier Antonio Panzeri Hatice Cengiz Jamal Khashoggi Agnes Callamard Donald Trump Mohammed bin Salman Matthew Hedges Ali Alaswad Wafaa Al Yazidi

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A freelance political journalist, columnist, commentator and editor...

David Hutt is a political journalist based between the Czech Republic and Britain. He focuses on European foreign policy, Central European politics, and relations between Europe and Asia. He is also an expert on Southeast ...

How A Kidnapping In Berlin Could Bring Down Vietnam's FTA With Europe

11 Aug 2017  |  Forbes  |  English  |  Human Rights

The proposed free trade agreement between Vietnam and the European Union is at risk following allegations by the German foreign ministry that Vietnam's secret service kidnapped a Vietnamese businessman, Trinh Xuan Thanh, from Berlin. Germany has demanded Thanh's return and may consider restricting development aid or lobbying the EU to halt the agreement. The EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) is crucial for Vietnam's economy, but human rights concerns, exacerbated by the kidnapping, could delay or derail it. The incident has broader implications for future EU trade agreements with Southeast Asian nations.

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Pier Antonio Panzeri Trinh Xuan Thanh Phil Robertson Angela Merkel Nguyen Xuan Phuc Donald Tusk Jean Claude Juncker

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MARIA PSARA is a journalist based in Brussel, Belgium.

Kaili demands European Parliament investigate 'violation of her immunity'

16 Nov 2023  |  pt.euronews.com  |  Portuguese  |  Legal Issues

Eva Kaili's lawyers demand the European Parliament investigate the alleged violation of her parliamentary immunity, arguing her detention was politically motivated and violated institutional rules. The corruption scandal involving Kaili and other MEPs, accused of accepting bribes from Qatar and Morocco, has led to stricter conduct rules. Kaili's defense claims her arrest was unjust and part of a broader attack on EU democracy, highlighting inconsistencies in the treatment of suspects. The case has sparked debates on judicial conduct and the protection of parliamentary immunity.

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Pier Antonio Panzeri Eva Kaili Christophe Marchand Sven Mary Roberta Metsola Maria Arena Michael Claise Francesco Giorgi

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I am a journalist based in London, United Kingdom.
I used to live in Paris for 11 years where I studied and worked in journalism.
 I used to Freelance as a Journalist for the French speaking section of the BBC (BBC Afrique). I used to write about African news and International current affairs. 
...

Qatargate: the British rejoice

20 Jan 2023  |  Causeur  |  French  |  Brexit

The corruption scandal within the European Parliament, involving figures like Éva Kaïli and Pier Antonio Panzeri, has intensified, drawing criticism from both Brexit supporters and left-leaning British media. The scandal, which includes allegations of bribery from countries like Qatar and Morocco, has led to significant scrutiny and criticism of the EU's political elite. Nigel Farage and British tabloids have been particularly vocal, highlighting the EU's hypocrisy and lack of transparency. The scandal has also implicated the Parliament's president, Roberta Metsola, for failing to declare numerous gifts, further fueling the controversy.

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Pier Antonio Panzeri Éva Kaïli Francesco Giorgi Nigel Farage Roberta Metsola Viola von Cramon

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Andrea Vogt is an independent journalist and documentary maker based in Bologna, Metropolitan City of Bologna, Italy.  Her dispatches on crime, politics and social affairs have appeared internationally in print, online, radio and broadcast media, including The Guardian, BBC, The Daily Telegraph, ...

‘Envelopes stuffed with €50,000 handed out by Italian MEP’

19 Dec 2022  |  The Telegraph  |  English  |  Illicit lobbying

Pier Antonio Panzeri, a former MEP, is implicated in an alleged EU graft scandal, dubbed Qatargate, involving illicit lobbying by Qatar and Morocco. He was reportedly filmed distributing cash in 'Santa Claus' envelopes to trade union boss Luca Visentini, who is under investigation along with Panzeri. The scandal also involves Francesco Giorgi and Eva Kaili, who face corruption charges. Visentini claims the money was a campaign donation, not a bribe. Panzeri, who chaired the EU subcommittee on human rights, had half a million euros found at his home. His family and NGO, Fight Impunity, are also under investigation, with his wife and daughter facing possible extradition to Belgium.

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Pier Antonio Panzeri Luca Visentini Francesco Giorgi Eva Kaili