Marie-Pierre Vedrenne: “The Qatargate feeds the “they’re all rotten” and the loss of influence of the European Parliament

Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, députée européenne française (MoDem), était l’invitée de Dimanche en Politique sur France 3 Grand Est ce dimanche 22 janvier.

Asked about the “Qatargate”, the alleged corruption case between the former vice-president of the European Parliament Eva Kaili and Qatar, Marie-Pierre Vedrenne expressed her anger:

There are two risks: the “they’re all rotten” and the loss of influence of the European Parliament. There are a few exceptions, and we must ensure that there are no more of these exceptions.

The MEP recalled in particular that the Parliament must submit to justice in all transparency and continue not to accept corruption in its ranks.

To go further in the fight against corruption, Marie-Pierre Vedrenne gave the example of the Haute Autorité pour la Transparence de la Vie Publique (HATVP) which exists in France and which also verifies that there has been no enrichment of elected officials during the exercise of their elective mandates: “It seems important to us to move forward on this issue of transparency. We are doing this educational work with our colleagues to move in this direction.

According to the MEP, this subject must be dealt with in a very educational way: “we must provide a framework and structure without going to extremes”.

Related member(s)

Marie-Pierre<br>Vedrenne
Marie-Pierre
Vedrenne
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France
MoDem

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PDE seminar in Paris: reforms, global challenges, and support for François Bayrou

EDP MEPs in Paris with Gozi, Bayrou and Barrot: priorities for Strasbourg, governance reform, the cost of living, ecological transition and Europe’s global roleThe initiative follows Vučić’s letter sent to Brussels on 21 August, in which he accused Serbian students and demonstrators of violence, reversing the truth and blaming the victims of repression.
In his statement, Gozi denounces the hundreds of arrests of students and peaceful citizens, the use of a sonic cannon (LRAD) during the March protest in Novi Sad, the shocking video of students forced to their knees and filmed by police, the violent arrests of women and even minors, and the attack on press freedom with intimidation against N1, documented by OCCRP/KRIK.
Gozi stresses that it is not citizens who endanger Serbia’s European path, but President Vučić and his government. By resorting to repression, false narratives and attacks on fundamental freedoms, they are undermining the credibility and the European future of the country.

Open Letter

To the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić
with a copy to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen

President Vučić,
Your letter of 21 August addressed to President von der Leyen is a masterpiece of hypocrisy. But facts, numbers and images tell another story.
In recent months, hundreds of people have been arrested in Serbia, including students and peaceful citizens. Many of them remain in prison today, facing charges that are essentially political. In practice, this undermines their freedom of expression and discourages democratic participation. It is not the citizens who are destabilising the country: it is your government, repressing the right to protest.
In March, during a commemoration in Novi Sad, a sonic cannon (LRAD) was used against demonstrators, A weapon, capable of provoking harsh pain, panic and permanent hearing damage. A practice that has nothing to do with the european standards you claim to embrace.
On 15 August, a video showed fifteen young people forced to their knees against a wall, filmed by police officers. An act of public humiliation, in total contempt for human dignity and contrary to every democratic standard.
And this was not an isolated case: in those same days, other footage and testimonies clearly showed worrying heavy-handed arrests, with students dragged to the ground, women and even minors treated without regard for their rights.
While students are beaten and arrested, citizens have witnessed violent groups apparently close to your party moving about undisturbed.
This selective tolerance raises serious concerns of rule of law.
Equally serious is the attack on freedom of information. N1, a news channel belonging to United Media (United Group), has been the target of a campaign of intimidation and pressure documented in recordings published by OCCRP/KRIK. You know perfectly well that silencing the last independent broadcaster means suffocating truth and pluralism.
President Vučić, it is not the youth, it is not the citizens, it is not the demonstrators who are jeopardising the European path of Serbia: Serbia belongs to Europe. But it is you — with your policies, your denyal your statements — which are undermining the credibility and the european path of your country.
Your accusations against Nikolina Sindjelić are embarrassing . The evidence shows that threats, unlawful arrests and violence have indeed taken place: personal attacks do not erase reality.
Your letter must therefore be sent back to the sender.
Serbian citizens deserve much better and Europe is something else: freedom, dignity, democracy.

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Website of the European Democrats - https://democrats.eu

EDP takes centre stage at Renew Europe summit in Brussels

The European Democratic Party co-organised and played a central role in the summit that brought together heads of state and party leaders from our democratic, liberal and centrist family at the Maison de la Poste in Brussels on 26 June. Sandro Gozi, Secretary General of the EDP, led the delegation of democrats and contributed to the adoption of the joint declaration “Freedom on the offensive”, a clear and courageous response to the populist wave and the threats to democracy in Europe.

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