On Wednesday, the 21st of December, European Parliament’s socialist faction suspended one of its advisors – Eldars Mamedovs, who has ties to Latvian political party Harmony. He is accused of «serious misconduct». He was also reported to Belgian police.
Mamedovs, who was nominated for work in the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, was one of the people who urged the socialist faction take a more lenient stance towards Qatar. The now ex-vice president of the European Parliament Eva Kali did the same. She is currently suspected of accepting bribes.
The socialist faction has commenced operation «clean hands» when it was revealed that the faction may have been infiltrated by representatives of interests of third countries – specifically Qatar and Morocco. Mamedovs’ suspension was immediately reported by the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats to the Belgian law enforcers, as mentioned in the faction’s statement to the press.
Mamedovs worked as the faction’s political advisor since 2009. He was also responsible for EP’s inter-parliamentary cooperation with Iran, Iraq and Arab countries.
Mamedovs was among those who opposed the faction’s official position on supporting EP’s resolution that declared Russia a state sponsoring terrorism.
Multiple deputies of the faction also pointed to his ambiguous position towards Iran’s theocratic regime. Mamedovs’ page on the socialist faction website is currently disabled.
As previously reported, Greek MEP and now ex-vice president of the European Parliament Eva Kaili and three other people – her partner, some former MEP and a lobbyist – were detained at the start of December due to accusations of participating a criminal organisation, money laundering and corruption.
Four suspects are accused of influencing European Parliament’s decisions in favour of Qatar in exchange for money and gifts.
Also read: Officials of the European Parliament arrested on suspicion of corruption