The corruption scandal in the European Parliament highlights Qatar’s attempts to influence politics in Europe and the USA. But other Gulf States are also involved. It’s about guns, terrorism and regional rivalries.
For years, the Gulf Emirate of Qatar has been spending huge sums to gain influence in the West and improve its image.
Sacks full of cash in a politician’s apartment, more euro bills in her father’s suitcase – it sounds like Hollywood, but it’s actually a corruption scandal that is shaking the European Union. Several people associated with the European Parliament, including its Vice President Eva Kaili, are suspected of corruption. They are said to have been paid by Qatar to represent the interests of the Gulf state in Brussels.