«I went to Doha but to save Iranian activists»- Corriere.it

“The seals at my assistant’s office? We were both in shock but I never doubted her honesty ». Alessandra Moretti of the Democratic Party is not investigated but has entered the scandal of alleged corruption by Qatar to condition the decisions of the EU Parliament, because her assistant in the previous legislature was on the staff of Antonio Panzeri, who was arrested.

«We in the group know the people involved and we have never received pressure – he says -. We would never have thought of such a thing.” A beacon has been lit on his trip to Doha in October 2021. “I was there for a conference sponsored, among others, by the EU Parliament – ​​he explains -. I had a particular interest, as a member of the Femm commission, in what was happening in Afghanistan, I had promoted the rescue of about 30 activists, I was interested in saving others. Qatar had activated humanitarian corridors for Afghan refugees”.

The vote on 1 December in the Libe commission on visas to be granted to Qatar and other countries also aroused attention. «It often happens – he says – that we are asked to replace absent colleagues and I participated as a substitute member. I voiced the line of the group. And in the resolution on human rights in Qatar as a Pd delegation we voted more severely than the S&D line, often following the Left line. The facts speak for themselves.” Now «is the time to react, identify what is rotten and marginalize it. The EU Parliament must develop more stringent rules on transparency and on the relationship between the deputy and the lobby”.