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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 14 december 2022

EU reels as scandal tarnishes parliament’s credibility

By LORNE COOK (S&D) group in the Parlia-
Associated Press ment. The group brings to-
BRUSSELS (AP) — The Euro- gether center-left parties
pean Union’s parliament from across Europe. It re-
was reeling Tuesday with its mains the second-largest
credibility under threat, as group in the 705-seat as-
a corruption scandal dam- sembly but lost more than
aged lawmakers’ careers 30 seats in the last election
and fingers were pointed as public support waned.
at Qatari officials accused Prosecutors have charged
of bribing them to play four people, who have not
down labor rights concerns been identified, with cor-
ahead of the soccer World ruption, participation in a
Cup. criminal group and mon-
The scandal, which start- ey laundering. Parliament
ed unfolding publicly last Vice President Eva Kaili of
week, has scarred the Greece was among them.
reputation of the EU’s only Lawmakers voted over-
institution comprised of of- whelmingly Tuesday to ter-
ficials elected directly in minate her term in office.
the 27 member countries. Kaili, a 44-year-old Greek
It has undermined the as- former TV presenter, is
sembly’s claim to the moral European Parliament President Roberta Metsola delivers her speech during a special session on from the S&D. Belgian EU
high ground in its own in- lobbying Monday, Dec. 12, 2022 in Strasbourg, eastern France. lawmaker Marc Tarabella
vestigations, such as into Associated Press stood down as a group
allegations of corruption in member on Monday, sug-
member country Hungary. President Roberta Metsola representatives to officials Hundreds of thousands of gesting he might be among
“It is so profound because told EU lawmakers on Mon- from national governments. euros have been found in those charged.
it jars so fundamentally with day that “European de- The difference this time is homes and a suitcase in a Three other S&D lawmakers
what parliament pretends mocracy is under attack.” that Belgian prosecutors hotel room. have temporarily stopped
to stand for,” Ghent Univer- While they convened in found out. The General Secretary of doing senior duties, appar-
sity Professor Hendrik Vos, Strasbourg, France, Belgian Police have now con- the International Trade ently because their parlia-
an EU expert, told The As- police picked up a haul of ducted more than 20 raids, Union Confederation, Luca mentary assistants were im-
sociated Press. “The parlia- computer data from the mostly in Belgium but also in Visentini, who was ques- plicated.
ment pretends to stand for assembly’s other seat in Italy, as part of a probe into tioned by prosecutors over Belgian authorities have
transparency, unable to be Brussels. bribery for political favors. the affair, insisted Tuesday not identified the Gulf
bribed, to defend funda- The parliament, however, Prosecutors suspect that that he is “innocent of any country suspected of offer-
mental values. And then has always been a ripe some lawmakers and aides wrongdoing,” and “ab- ing cash or gifts to officials
you get something like this.” target for people seeking “were paid large sums of solutely committed to the but several members of the
Referring to her barely sup- funds or favors or to influ- money or offered substan- fight against corruption.” assembly and some Bel-
pressed “fury, my anger, ence policy, from tobacco tial gifts to influence Parlia- The scandal has rocked the gian media have linked the
my sorrow,” Parliament lobbyists and auto industry ment’s decisions.” Socialists and Democrats investigation to Qatar.q

Vatican cardinal sues for defamation in Quebec assault claim

By NICOLE WINFIELD bec in August that accused let of inappropriate, sexual Tuesday in the Superior anguish” since the wom-
Associated Press several priests, including touches on four occasions Court in Quebec, repeats an’s allegations went pub-
ROME (AP) — A Vatican Ouellet, of sexual abuse or in the late 2000s. the cardinal’s firm denial lic and that his international
cardinal sued a Canadian assault. F. accused Ouel- Ouellet’s countersuit, filed and says he has no recol- reputation was “seriously
woman for defamation in lection of meeting F. tarnished.”
a Canadian court on Tues- His lawsuit said that even Pope Francis shelved a
day after she accused him if the allegations were church investigation into
of sexual assault while he true, the woman’s specific Ouellet after a priest inves-
was archbishop of Que- claims about his alleged tigator interviewed F. and
bec. behavior could not be con- determined there weren’t
Cardinal Marc Ouellet, strued as “sexual assault” grounds for further inves-
head of the Vatican’s or sexual abuse of minors, tigation. The Vatican said
bishops’ office, is seeking which are other crimes in- the investigator deter-
100,000 Canadian dollars cluded in the class-action mined the woman didn’t
(US$74,000) in compensa- lawsuit. bring forward accusations
tory damages for “injury to “To associate Mr. Ouellet that warranted it.
his reputation, honor and with such acts creates, in Calls seeking comment
dignity,” according to a the mind of the ordinary from F.’s attorney were not
copy of the complaint pro- citizen, the perception that immediately returned.
vided by Ouellet’s office. Mr. Ouellet is an individual In a statement, Ouellet said
The woman, identified Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet attends a Mass for the election of the same ilk, which he is victims of sexual abuse are
only as F., was one of sev- of a new pope celebrated by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, not clearly not,” the cardinal’s entitled to justice and com-
eral people who brought a pictured, inside St. Peter’s Basilica, at the Vatican, Tuesday, lawsuit says. pensation and said he was
class-action lawsuit against March 12, 2013. It said he had experienced sensitive to their suffering.q
the archdiocese of Que- Associated Press “significant psychological