EU watchdog calls for transparency in European Parliament's ethics reform process

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

ISTANBUL (AA) – The draft proposals by the European Parliament head on reforming the parliament's ethics rules is "a step in the right direction," the European ombudsman said on Monday, calling for transparency during this process.

"A strong anti-corruption and ethics system" must be an integral part of all EU institutions and bodies, Emily O'Reilly said in a letter to European Parliament President Roberta Metsola.

She welcomed "the proposal for a 'cooling-off' period for former members of the European Parliament (MEPs) before they can engage in lobbying activities vis-a-vis the European Parliament," as well as "the ban on friendship groups with third countries."

O'Reilly, however, said some proposals could be strengthened further.

This could be done by extending the proposal to make information on meetings public "to all scheduled meetings of all MEPs and their staff with interest representatives and representatives from non-EU countries regardless of their connection to a report or resolution of the European Parliament," she said in the letter.

The European ombudsman also emphasized the need to allow the committee to monitor the implementation of MEPs' Code of Conduct to investigate its own initiative and be given sufficient resources to carry out its tasks.

- Corruption scandal

The EU has been shaken by one of the biggest corruption scandals in its history after Eva Kaili, a Greek MEP, was arrested on Dec. 9 by Belgian police on corruption charges.

Kaili, 44, from Greece's center-left PASOK-KINAL party and one of the European Parliament's 14 vice presidents, was arrested after her home was searched on corruption charges allegedly involving Qatar, which was accused of paying Kaili to lobby for the Gulf state's interests.

Also, up to €1.5 million ($1.62 million) in cash was seized by the Belgian police across dozens of home and office searches. In addition, parliamentary computers were also requisitioned to prevent the erasure of important data.

Those detained alongside Kaili also included Italian European Parliament Deputy Pier Antonio Panzeri, Kaili's partner Francesco Giorgi, who worked as an assistant in the European Parliament, and Niccolo Figa-Talamanca, the director of the non-governmental organization working on the rule of law.