Qatargate: Kaili’s phone call to MEP Arena – Precarious ties

The main article of French daily Le Soir focuses on the Belgian MEP Marie Arena, in the investigation it is conducting on Qatargate. The MEP who belongs to the Socialist group has been in the press on other occasions for her possible involvement in the Qatargate scandal, however she is not included among the MEPs for whom the lifting of immunity was requested.

The new article refers to the close relations of Arena with the alleged “brains” of the ring, Antonio Panzeri, but also to the phone call received by the Belgian MEP from Eva Kaili on December 9.

Kaili’s phone call

In particular, regarding Arena’s relationship with Panzeri, the publication states that from December 2021 to September 2022, they exchanged 389 phone calls. He also writes about the communication that Eva Kaili said she had with her, when she tried to call Panzeri after Giorgi’s arrest and was unable to find him, and then she contacted the Belgian MEPs Tarabella and Arena. This communication is confirmed by Marie Arena.

“Eva Kaili called me. I was at a conference. I didn’t understand what he was telling me. I told her to calm down until things were cleared up. I assume she addressed the MEPs of the political group” the article states.

Marie Arena described her relationship with Panzeri as a “professional friendship”, as former colleagues in the European Parliament. It is recalled that Marie Arena was the one who replaced Panzeri in the Commission for Human Rights.