European Union Parliament and Commission Vice-Presidents, the abuse of power and their “personal capacity” activities
European Commission and Parliament Vice-Presidents Mr Margaritis Schinas and Mrs Eva Kaili. The letter from the EU Secretary General to Mr Harry Theocharous in the background. Photo by @TheocharousH
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
On Friday 9 December, Belgian Federal Police arrested European Parliament Vice-President Eva Kaili and three others in an investigation into suspected bribery and were imprisoned on Sunday.
Large amounts of cash in plastic bags were seized after the police raided premises in various locations in Brussels. The four are charged with money laundering, corruption and participation in a criminal organization.
Mrs Eva Kaili from the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), was elected as one of the fourteen European Parliament Vice-Presidents in January this year.
Mrs Kaili’s visit to Qatar and meetings with high-ranking officials before the World Cup, started to raise concerns after her continuous praise of the Gulf nation.
Mrs Kaili however is not the only high-ranking EU official that has spoken in favour of the Gulf nation. In April, the European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas, promoted the idea of a short-stay visa-free travel to EU member states for Qatari citizens which was proposed as he said, a result of the remarkable success of the Gulf state in achieving far-reaching reforms.
Going back to the main subject of this article and its relevance.
On 8 May 2022, European Commission Vice-President Mr Margaritis Schinas meddled in the affairs of an EU member state, taking advantage of his position and influence to publicly promote and give an advantage to a candidate of the upcoming presidential elections of the Republic of Cyprus in 2023. He falsely, provocatively and purposely accused other candidates publicly of being Russophiles by saying that they support the horror of war, the ones who kill civilians, who bomb Orthodox churches and monasteries, those who plunder archaeological treasures, who send Islamist fundamentalists to displace ethnic Greeks from Mariupol and the Black Sea, the cradle of new Hellenism.
Mr. Schinas told the candidate he publicly campaigns for, Mr Averof Neophytou of the centre-right party, that the European Commission won’t let his opponents “play games” in Cyprus and the presidential elections. He continued, Cyprus will remain European and Western and that Mr Neophytou will be the proponent of this big effort and the EU will be by his side.
Since when do high ranking EU officials meddle in the affairs of a member state by choosing candidates and abuse their power to give them advantage over others?
According to the Code of Conduct of the European Commission, members shall respect the dignity of their office and shall not act or express themselves, through whatever medium, in a manner which adversely affects the public perception of their independence, their integrity or the dignity of their office.
In addition, article 9 paragraph 3 states that members shall abstain from making public statements or interventions on behalf of any political party or organisation of the social partners of which they are members, except when standing for election/participating in an election campaign.
After a complaint was lodged via a letter concerning the Vice President’s unethical behaviour, the Secretary General of the European Commission responded in a very provocative and impudent manner, quoting: “The opinions expressed by the Vice-President were made in his personal capacity”.
The Vice President of the European Parliament wheeled and dealed with Qatar in her personal capacity too before stashing all the spoils but according to the reply sent by the EU Commission concerning Margaritis Schinas, members can do and say whatever they want as long as it is in their personal capacity.
If the EU and institutions expect respect from almost half a billion of its citizens, they better start respecting and honouring them first and stop regarding the entire population as fools.
*Harry Theocharous is a former pilot currently dealing with aviation research and consulting with vast interest in geopolitics
- Τα σχόλια που δημοσιεύονται στην ιστοσελίδα μας εκφράζουν απαραίτητα τους συγγραφείς. Η ιστοσελίδα μας δεν λογοκρίνει τις γνώμες κανενός.
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