Lobbies are not the problem but corrupt politicians, MEP Dimitris Papadakis said on Wednesday, expressing the wish that the scandal that broke out with the alleged involvement of MEP Eva Kaili and staff of the European Parliament (EP) would not take greater dimensions.
In a meeting with Cypriot journalists on the sidelines of the EP plenary session, Papadakis, who is a member of the Socialists and Democrats parliamentary group, commenting on the developments regarding the investigations in Belgium, said it is an event that "has tarnished" and does injustice to the image of the European Parliament. He said that this was not the reality but "a sad exception", as he noted that most MEPs "work with the aim of improving the daily life of the European citizen". He also noted that, "I wish it was a lie", but if it is true, there must be exemplary punishment so that this kind of scandal does not happen again.
"We hope to regain the credibility of citizens with our actions in the near future," he added.
He said he had worked a lot with Eva Kaili over the past five years, saying he could not describe how it feels "when a person with whom you have close cooperation turns out to be an accomplice in a scandal."
Papadakis also said that he believes that this type of actions, including by third parties, "serve no purpose, on the contrary, they bring opposite results", noting that there is a predisposition now among MEPs not to proceed with the issue of visa liberalization for Qatar because of this fact.
He also referred to the climate in their parliamentary group, the Socialists and Democrats, to which Ms. Kaili, saying that there was "sadness, gloom, disappointment but also anger because they think that some people were making fun of us, and have managed to tarnish the work which they produce from morning to night."
Mr. Papadakis also referred to the debate that has been opened in the EP on the issue of lobbies, following the "Qatar scandal", as it is now widely called.
"The problem is not the lobbyists, but the corrupt politicians", said Mr. Papadakis, adding that there is nothing wrong with meeting with representatives of trade unions or car manufacturers to discuss the future of electrification, or with representatives of third countries, "instead you have to listen to them, the question is what you do after the meetings."
He also said that citizens "ought not to send representatives on the basis of image" and should be more critical and more demanding. If, for example, he noted, a politician makes a living that does not correspond to his or her earnings, "then something is wrong."
"Citizens ought to enter into this logic if we want to upgrade our society," Papadakis added.
Asked if the position of EP Vice President, held by Ms. Kaili, which is now vacant after yesterday's decision to remove her from that post, will remain in the Socialists and Democrats group, Papadakis said that meetings are being held to confirm that she will remain in their group.
Asked whether their group has been targeted by other parliamentary groups, Papadakis replied in the negative, saying that no one knows the extent of the scandal. "We are waiting to see the outcome, I hope the scandal will be closed here," he said.
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