Although the Coal and Steel Community was founded in 1952, the European Union itself – on November 7, 1993, under the Maastricht Treaty. So in quieter times in November this year, she would joyfully, and probably grandly, celebrate her thirtieth birthday. I hope senior officials from the European Commission and the European Parliament will have enough common sense and caution to start cleaning before the big anniversary. Every day it is a way of trying to integrate, in fact federalize, the Member States under German hegemony by force. The compromising and unworthy behavior of civil servants, the destruction of European history, traditions and customs, the dominance of the liberal left, the hunt for conservative countries, the blatant injustice of the Court of Justice and the human rights of the EU, and finally – the largest corruption scandal of the last thirty years.
Corruption scandal
So far it is not known where the information about the corruption scandal leaked from – Amnesty International? Politico portal? or has the carpet under which the EU has swept its scandals perhaps already proved too small? – enough has happened. The scandal is developing, it is spreading more and more in circles, the mandarins of the EU are trying to keep it dead quiet, but quite frankly Europe hopes that this evasion will not succeed. Several people including – it’s hard to believe! – Vice-President of the EP, the Greek Eva Kaili, her Italian partner Francesco Giorgi and Pier Antinio Panzeri in prison, the latter has already stated that he will testify. The Spaniard Juan Aguilar, nut, head of the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Commission is suspected of the act in Qatar, known for the attacks on Poland, where he traces the “lack of the rule of law in the administration of justice”. There has recently been talk of 17 assistants to Spanish MEPs joining the gallery of shame. So “big fish” and “cockroaches”. The most significant corruption scandal in the history of modern Europe, bigger than Britain’s in 2009, involving 39 members of the House of Commons. One wonders what the founding fathers of the European Union, Schuman, Adenauer, de Gaspari, would say, after all, Christians who try to live by the decalogue, also the 5th commandment “do not steal”? But the EU long ago, with great help from the Treaties, also abolished the last mention of Christian values and replaced them with unspecified “European values”. The discredit of the institution, those who control it, the lack of a security system and checkpoints, and finally – the atmosphere of consent to scams and the ubiquitous message that “we will defend our own independence.” “The Neumann Doctrine in Brussels”.
Why didn’t the procedures work?
The question arises: why did the control procedures not work? System errors, unclear rules for MEPs’ tax returns, no specification of where the money came from. As in the case of Radek Sikorski; 800 thousand euros a year for “consultations”, who, whose, is unknown. Compared to the tax returns of deputies in the Sejm in Poland, the Chamber of Deputies in France or in the Cortes in Spain, very general. Huge money in circulation, hundreds if not thousands of lobbyists from all over the world, including special services, major industries, oil, auto and pharmaceutical companies, major media. It is known that all European parliaments have problems with lobbyists, I remember how in 2009, on the occasion of the Thames corruption scandal, the tightening of the system of issuing access cards for lobbyists to Westminster, the House of Commons and the House of Lords appeared. Some invite you to luxury conferences in the tropics, others offer grants, still others bring large bags full of cash, like Russian oligarchs shopping at Harrods in the 1990s. Much explains the ubiquitous “culture of secrecy” in Brussels and the poor solidarity in protecting their own country. . Consent to transgressions, a sense of impunity. And above all – the absence of rules that once functioned above party divisions – the importance of the country, honesty of politicians, credibility, service of a politician to his constituents, as well as the usual sense of decency. Unfortunately, these are increasingly luxury goods in political circles.
Consequences of Qatargate
One more thing. The consequences of corruption scandals in Anglo-Saxon countries, the United States and Great Britain differ from those in continental European countries. Looking at the corruption and moral scandals of Silvio Berlusconi, Chirac or Rutte, we can see that France, Italy and the Netherlands have a much more relaxed attitude towards allegations of corruption, as well as extramarital affairs. When Chirac was mayor of Paris and it turned out that he had embezzled public money, he was sentenced to 2 years, but with a suspended sentence. Nicolas Sarkozy and the wiretapping scandal, and then another – allegations of corruption and fraudulent use of influence – one year in prison with suspension, sometimes combined with house arrest. And Francois Mitterand actually had two families for 32 years, wife and lover Anna Pingeot, from which daughter Mazarine was born. It is worth recalling that when British journalists revealed John Major’s affair with fellow party member Edwina Curry a few years ago, the former prime minister called a press conference and, holding his wife Norma’s hand, apologized to the family for the outrage several decades ago. Overly political due to allegations of corruption in the 1990s were MP Jonathan Aitken, who accepted gifts from the Gulf kingdoms, Secretary of State Peter Mandelson, who failed to inform the tax authorities about a loan of 373 thousand. from his fellow party member Geffrey Robinson, then got a British passport out of line for an Indian multimillionaire for a £1 million donation to the Millennium Dome he oversaw at the time. On the other hand, the world famous writer Jeffrey Archer, convicted of corruption and fraud, wrote his novels for 1.5 years … in prison. When a scandal broke in the House of Commons in 2009 over the misuse of spending by MPs representing Labour, Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, party leaders David Cameron, Gordon Brown and Nick Clegg ordered them to hand over the money and either resign the seat. the next day or not participate in the next election. And three of the MPs ended up in jail. It is clear that the European Parliament is following the example of the legislation, not in the Anglo-Saxon countries, but in continental Europe, in the style of taking it easy.
And here is a huge corruption scandal, several key EU officials in prison, the services of several countries, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Greece are looking for further clues – a complete disgrace! But a hush fell over Brussels, there are more expressions of indignation on the Vistula and the Danube than on the EU headquarters. In addition, auditors would go to Warsaw to monitor how EU funds are used. If the EU mandarins could think strategically and have pure intentions, they would do like Cameron on the Thames – leave tomorrow in disgrace, because they no longer have credibility, because they destroy the credibility of their party and the group to which they belong. Union, and corrupt democracy. That is, the elimination of the corrupt to save the health of the entire system, including the EU. And the beginning of reforms, perhaps under the slogan “New Union for the new 30 years!”? Clarify anti-corruption procedures to prevent abuse, set up appropriate services if none exist – or are these already in place but not being used? It is time to recall the values that underpinned the founding of the European Union, especially the fifth commandment, “Do not steal”.
Meanwhile, the head of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, presents proposals for reform of the EP that no one listens to, hard work is being done in Belgium, Spain, Greece and Italy by the investigative authorities, the daughter of the arrested Pier Antonio Panzeri is under house arrest , and his wife will be handed over to the investigative authorities of the Belgian judiciary. More arrests, more seized accounts, revised tax returns. So maybe – if the European Union is, as it claims, a democratic institution – it’s time for the guilty to apologize, including those who defaulted due to lack of oversight, gave the scammers money, were handed over to justice and disappeared from public life. And the environment – party members, citizens, media – to repeat as often as possible: “everything must be done to regain the confidence of the people”, “the electorate is waiting for an explanation” and “the system must be healed, because the moral health of society depends on it”, in this case across Europe. Well, dreaming is a good thing. But there are patterns and rules, you just have to enforce them.
Source: wPolityce