Beware of Greeks accepting gifts
The World Cup in Qatar is proof, actually, of how sports diplomacy can achieve a historical transformation of a country with reforms that inspired the Arab world.21.11.2022
Greek MEP and one of no less than fourteen EU vice-presidents, Eva Kaili, is in a bit of a bind. It was seemingly with the best of intentions that she just recently tried to assuage Gary Lineker's angst over attending Qatar 2022:
Last month, while other colleagues drew attention Qatar's human rights violations, she gave an effusive speech to the parliament praising Qatar for hosting the World Cup and for its role as a "frontrunner in labour rights".
It appears, however, that this was not a spontaneous endorsement of Qatar's human rights record; rather, it was motivated by a sizeable influx of Qatari riyals into her bank account. Along with three others, she's accused of trousering a cool €1.5m. Poor Gary has every right to feel sad and deflated.
But Kaili's bank balance isn't the only inflated element of this story.
The BBC's Brussels correspondent, Jessica Parker, says details released by Belgian authorities in the last few days left many people's jaws on the floor.
James Gregory, BBC News
So, here we either have a Brussels correspondent who can't write a complete article on the story that she's covering, or another BBC droid who feels the need to muscle in on Jess' scoop. What's going on here? And does the licence fee payer know?
As an aptly-entitled vice-president, Kaili led EU oversight of the Middle East.