A computer file belonging to one of the figures at the centre of the Qatargate corruption scandal has revealed the sweeping extent to which the EU officials were bribed into furthering the interests of foreign nations.
On Wednesday, Le Soir published screenshots and excerpts from an Excel spreadsheet compiled by Francesco Giorgi, who previously worked as a parliamentary assistant to former MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri (S&D). Both Giorgi and Panzeri have previously admitted to accepting bribes and are now formally cooperating with the Belgian authorities.
The spreadsheet, written in English and entitled "Meetings & Activities", provides a summary of the lobbying conducted by Giorgi, Panzeri, and other European officials on behalf of the Mauritanian, Moroccan, and Qatari Governments. It includes 199 separate entries, spanning the period from April 2018 to 1 December 2022. Giorgi and Panzeri were arrested just eight days after the final entry.
Credit: Francesco Giorgi / Facebook
In two entries dated 12 October 2022 and 17 November 2022, Giorgi notes his success in deflecting criticism of Qatar's labour practices in the run up to the 2022 World Cup. "Neutralised the attempt to table an urgency resolution Qatar (migrant workers)," the entries read.
In another entry, dated 31 May 2018, Giorgi records the "adoption of an urgency resolution against Saudi Arabia including 3 paragraphs supporting Qatar." In another, dated 26 October 2022, Giorgi writes "Interview Marc l'avenir", with the topic listed as "Against boycott of world cup". On the same day, Belgian MEP Marc Tarabella – who has also been charged in connection with the scandal – gave an interview with l'Avenir newspaper in which he denounced attempts to boycott the 2022 World Cup as "hypocrisy." Tarabella's name appears 20 times in the document.
A damning spreadsheet
In addition to Panzeri and Tarabella, several other European officials implicated in Qatargate are explicitly referred to in the spreadsheet. These include Greek MEP Eva Kaili, who was stripped of her position as Vice-President of the European Parliament following allegations that she had accepted bribes and other favours from Qatar.
Former Greek Vice-President of the European Parliament Eva Kaili arrives at the home of Kaili, in the Rue Wiertz, in Brussels, Friday 14 April 2023. Credit: Belga / Jonas Roosens
Kaili, who is also Giorgi's former partner, denies any involvement in the scandal, a claim corroborated by Giorgi. She is mentioned 19 times in the document.
Italian MEP Andrea Cozzolino – for whom Giorgi also previously worked as a parliamentary assistant and who has likewise been charged – is mentioned 14 times. Belgian MEP Marie Arena, who is similarly suspected of involvement in the affair but, unlike Kaili and Cozzolino, has not been formally charged, is referred to 14 times.
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Arena, Cozzolino, and Tarabella all vehemently deny any involvement in the scandal. Tarabella's lawyer, Maxim Töller, has previously suggested that Panzeri's allegation that Tarabella accepted bribes of up to €140,000 to support pro-Qatari policies is contradicted by Giorgi's own testimony.
"Giorgi himself, in his hearing, claims not to have attended any of these alleged cash handovers, contrary to what Panzeri claims," Töller said.
