Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

‘Wow, that’s not democratic’: New Slovenian PM weighs in on Qatargate

‘Wow, that’s not democratic’: New Slovenian PM weighs in on Qatargate

In an interview with POLITICO, political newcomer Robert Golob expresses astonishment at the widening scandal alleging cash for influence.
Stupefied; mind-boggling. Those are some of the choice words used by one EU leader to describe the corruption scandal that has engulfed the European Parliament.

Speaking to POLITICO’s EU Confidential podcast, Slovenia’s Prime Minister Robert Golob expressed his disbelief at the system in place that allowed the alleged bribery of European officials to flourish. 

“I was stupefied by hearing what kind of a regime they had up to now when it comes to former parliamentarians, to former members and to former staff members,” he told POLITICO in an interview on the sidelines of last month’s European Council meeting in Brussels.

The businessman-turned-politician is a relative newcomer to the European Council table, having been appointed prime minister last May.

“I’m new to the scene. It is something that is totally: ‘Wow, that’s not democratic. That’s really the way it was organized up till now?’” he told POLITICO. “It’s sort of inviting these things to happen.”

“There was practically no control over what’s going on in the Parliament, which is really mind-boggling to me,” he said, adding: “It could have a negative impact if not addressed properly.” 

His comments reflect a widely held view among EU leaders, expressed privately at last month’s summit: that the scandal threatens to threaten the credibility of the entire EU, particularly ahead of next year’s European Parliament election.

In an interview with POLITICO last month, European Council President Charles Michel said that allegations of countries, including Qatar, seeking to buy influence in Brussels is “dramatic and damaging for the credibility of the European Union” and makes it harder for the EU to deal with multiple competing crises.

“We first need to learn lessons from this and come up with a package of measures to avoid such things — to prevent corruption in the future,” said Michel, a former Belgian prime minister who heads the European Council, the body that convenes the leaders of the EU’s 27 member countries.

Four individuals, including Greek MEP Eva Kailli and former MEP Antonio Panzeri, have been arrested as part of a probe by Belgian authorities stretching back to March 2021. The allegations — which include sensational details of cash found in suitcases and apartments, and multiple raids of homes and offices across Brussels — have rocked the EU.

Golob’s comments come as European Parliament President Roberta Metsola is poised to unveil new rules to beef up the legislative body’s rules around transparency and ethics in a push to repair the battered reputation of the European Parliament.

Among the measures are proposals to strengthen protection for whistleblowers, increased scrutiny of how NGOs are funded and new rules for European parliamentarians on how to interact with representatives from non-EU countries.

In addition, the European Commission is due to accelerate its proposal — first suggested three years ago — to establish a new EU-wide independent ethics body.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
×