Because of the bribery affair: nuclear power instead of gas – Ploß questions the Qatar deal

Created: 12/17/2022, 09:00

By: Jens Kiffmeier

Harsh consequences because of Qatargate: After the EU raid, the CDU calls for a change in energy policy.

Nuclear power should make the gas deal obsolete.

Berlin – The bribe payments should not go unanswered: Because of the EU corruption scandal, voices in the Union have called for serious consequences.

The Hamburg CDU member of the Bundestag, Christoph Ploß, questioned the gas deal with Qatar and called for a reorientation of German energy policy: "For a long time I have been advocating that we in Germany rely more on nuclear energy in order to reduce our dependence on gas imports", said the chairman of the German-Arab parliamentary group to

from

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It was a "mistake" that the traffic light wanted the remaining nuclear power plants to be switched off in April 2023.

EU corruption scandal: After the raid on the European Parliament, the CDU is calling for an alternative to the Qatar deal

The EU corruption scandal has been causing a stir for days.

During a raid, Belgian investigators searched 19 private apartments and an office in the European Parliament.

Five people were arrested, including former EU Vice President Eva Kaili and her partner Francesco Giorgi.

They are accused of bribery and money laundering.

According to their own statements, the investigators seized cash in the amount of 1.5 million euros during the raids.

According to unconfirmed reports, the money is said to come primarily from Qatar and Morocco, which apparently wanted to use the payments to influence political decisions in the EU.

Both countries deny that.

Calls for nuclear energy instead of the Qatar deal: Hamburg's CDU member of the Bundestag Christoph Ploß.

© Marcus Brandt/Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa/Montage

Nevertheless, Christoph Ploß was shocked by the corruption affair.

"If high-ranking parliamentarians allow themselves to be bribed by a foreign state, it threatens the very foundations of our democracy," he warned.

In any case, the loss of trust is immense.

What is now important is a "quick and comprehensive clarification - above all by the European Social Democrats, from whose ranks several politicians are affected," said Ploß.

They would have to explain how an “apparently corrupt politician” could get into such a high office.

EU scandal in the European Parliament: Vice President Eva Kaili is silent – ​​but her partner admits bribery

The investigations are currently in full swing.

According to consistent media reports, Giorgi is said to have already made a confession.

Kaili, who previously belonged to the social democratic Pasok party, has not yet admitted to the allegations.

A court hearing had to be postponed because a strike by Belgian judicial officials prevented their transfer.

But the 44-year-old Greek woman, who has a two-year-old child with Giorgi, has protested her innocence and had a lawyer reject the allegations.

Nevertheless, the EU Parliament has already dismissed her as Vice President, which Ploß described as the "right step".

Gas deal with Qatar: Habeck wants to stick to delivery from the Gulf state despite the corruption scandal

The corruption scandal extends far beyond the borders of the European Union (EU).

The possible involvement of Qatar in the affair is particularly explosive for Germany.

Because of the energy resources that had become scarce in the course of the Ukraine war, the federal government had made intensive efforts to supply gas from the Gulf state.

From 2026, two million tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) are to be shipped to Germany every year and at least partially replace the deliveries that are no longer being made from Russia.

After weeks of negotiations, Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens) recently finalized the deal.

However, after the EU corruption scandal became known, calls were quickly made to scrap the gas deal with Qatar.

Habeck immediately rejected the claim.

The two should not be mixed up, the gas supply and bribery at EU level are "two different issues," Habeck said in justification for sticking to the Qatar deal.

Nevertheless, some representatives in politics remain uneasy.

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Alternative to the Qatar deal: Christoph Ploß (CDU) relies on longer use of nuclear power in Germany

"Qatar is an important trading partner, especially in the energy sector," Ploß also stated.

In view of the inflation and the energy crisis, Germany is now unfortunately dependent on good relations with the Gulf region.

Therefore, it is now taking revenge that the traffic light coalition of Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) excluded nuclear power as an alternative source of electricity, criticized the chairman of the German-Arab parliamentary group, who, together with his Union colleagues, has repeatedly called for longer use in recent months of nuclear energy had wrestled.

But regardless of the inner-German dispute, Ploß called the possible bribery unacceptable.

"Should there be solid evidence that foreign powers have exerted illegal influence on EU parliamentarians, this should have clear diplomatic consequences," demanded Ploß and welcomed the relevant steps by the EU Parliament.

The factions had already put visa facilitation for Qatar on hold on Wednesday.

Likewise, past decisions should be reviewed and, if necessary, withdrawn.

Bribery of MEPs: For Ploß lax lobby rules are not to blame

Whether the access rules for lobbyists also need to be tightened remains a contentious question.

"This is not a question of lax lobbying policy, but of a lack of morality," said Ploß, rejecting the corresponding call for tougher regulations.

Bribery cannot be prevented by even stricter lobby rules.

"The problem is not that corruption is not prohibited," said the CDU member of the Bundestag.

In the end, the prosecution is a task for the public prosecutor's office and the courts.

But one thing must be very clear, said Ploß.

"If individual MPs allow themselves to be bribed, this must have personal consequences." (

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