Former European Parliament member Maria Arena has been charged with participating in a criminal organization as part of the Qatargate corruption scandal, she confirmed to Belgian media.
This development comes more than two years after the high-profile investigation began, implicating several MEPs and officials accused of accepting cash and gifts in exchange for political favors for countries like Qatar and Morocco.
Arena, a former Socialist and Democrats (S&D) politician, was interviewed by the investigating judge last Thursday. She had previously been questioned by police in early 2024, but her role in the scandal has remained one of the case’s enduring enigmas since authorities raided the alleged crime ring in December 2022.
Speaking to La Libre Belgique on Saturday, Arena disclosed that she has been charged with participating in a criminal organization but emphasized that she was not charged with corruption or money laundering, unlike most of the main defendants.
“For two years, I’ve seen my name sullied and denounced in the press with accusations suggesting gifts I supposedly received in exchange for favors — since that’s what corruption is — and finally, the judge did not retain any of that,” Arena told La Libre.
The former MEP strongly maintained her innocence, claiming the charges stem from her associations with others implicated in the scandal. “In fact, I’m charged because I know other people who themselves are charged for corruption,” she said, criticizing the media for unfair reporting.
Arena, a Belgian socialist, was the chair of the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights and a prominent member of the S&D group when the Qatargate scandal erupted in late 2022. She stepped down as chair in January 2023 after POLITICO reported she failed to declare a Qatar-funded trip, which she attributed to an oversight by her assistant. Arena did not seek re-election in the 2024 European Parliament election and subsequently left office.
The broader investigation continues, though it has encountered legal challenges from the defense teams of other key suspects, including former European Parliament Vice President Eva Kaili and the alleged ringleader, former MEP Antonio Panzeri.
This latest charge against Arena adds another layer to the intricate case, which has shaken the European Parliament and spotlighted concerns over corruption within its ranks.
