In the wake of the growing corruption scandal in Brussels, Marie Arena, a Belgian socialist MEP, has resigned from the position of chair of the Human Rights Subcommittee of the European Parliament (EP), reports Magyar Nemzet following . The politician submitted his resignation citing the attacks of the press and his opponents, while asserting his innocence. Arena announced that he is stepping down from his position in order to protect his own reputation and that of the Human Rights Subcommittee.

Marie Arena's name came up several times in connection with the Brussels corruption scandal that broke out last December, as one of her assistants, the Italian Francesco Giorgi, was also arrested by the Belgian police.

Citing its own reports, Politico claimed yesterday that the former chairman of the human rights subcommittee had made a special deal with Qatar, that some parliamentary hearings were "unbalanced" and that there was evidence that key crime suspects were working with the committee behind the scenes. Arena also accepted a trip to Qatar, but he forgot to declare in accordance with current EU rules that his plane ticket and hotel were paid for by the Qatari government. Although the female politician admitted to the "administrative offense", according to her, her assistant, who did not complete the necessary paperwork, is responsible for this.

During the investigation launched due to the corruption scandal, it was also revealed that the investigations and sharp criticisms of the human rights committee headed by Marie Arena may have been influenced by foreign influence.

In the course of its work, the board also draws attention to the abuses of countries that do not interpret human rights in accordance with the European value system. Such as Qatar.

According to Politico, for the first time Qatar's relationship with the human rights commission can be seen clearly. The Gulf country paid off the socialist representatives in order, among other things, to cover up the human rights violations in Qatar and to present the country in a better light.

After the Brussels corruption scandal broke out last year, more and more left-wing and liberal politicians are revealed to have accepted bribes and gifts from Morocco and Kata.

The Belgian authorities have so far detained four people for corruption, money laundering and participation in a criminal organization in connection with the "Qatargate" scandal. Three of them are closely connected to the human rights committee, Magyar Hírlap .

The four arrested: Socialist MEP Eva Kaili, who was removed from the post of vice-president of the parliament after the corruption scandal broke out, Francesco Giorgi - he is Kaili's partner and adviser to the Italian Social Democrat MEP Andrea Cozzolino, Pier Antonio Panzeri, Socialist ex-MEP, who was previously the president of the human rights commission, and one of György Soros' confidants, and Niccolo Figa-Talamancát, who is also the secretary general of No Peace Without Justice, an NGO that protects the rule of law and human rights.

All of the defendants can be said to be connected to the left, the Human Rights Commission and civil organizations. The current case is one of the most serious EU scandals in recent decades. Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, said: this scandal is dramatic and damages the credibility of the European Union. According to the Washington Post, the EU urgently needs to review anti-corruption legislation within its own institutions. And in the Breitbart article, he suggested to Brussels that it should not blame the EU member states on the rule of law and corruption issues, but rather start the investigation within its own institutions.

Source: Politico, Washington Post, Breitbart, Reuters, Magyar Hírlap, Magyar Nemzet

Photo: European Parliament