Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev voiced these thoughts during his meeting with participants of international conferences in Baku. The head of state touched upon corruption allegations in the European Parliament, recalling the discovery of a large amount of cash in the home of one of the institution's former vice-presidents:
“Millions of dollars in suitcases were found in the home of its vice-president, and they covered it all up.”
In his speech, President Ilham Aliyev criticized the European Parliament not only for corruption allegations but also for its stance during the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. He stated that during the period when international observers were not allowed into the Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia, a number of international organizations, including the European Parliament, remained silent and supported Armenia.
After these remarks were made, new scandals related to corruption, secret payments, lobbying, and foreign influence emerged in the European Parliament. Investigations in Brussels implicated the names of MEPs and parliamentary staff, large sums of cash were discovered during operations, and some cases went to court.
From “Qatargate” to the “cash-for-influence” scandal exposed by a hidden camera, from the court case regarding the use of European Parliament funds for political party activities to investigations into Russia's possible influence networks, a series of events have brought the institution's transparency and the issue of foreign influence on political decisions back into the spotlight.
Modern.az has investigated 4 major scandals that shook the European Parliament, following up on this issue highlighted by President Ilham Aliyev years ago.
“Qatargate” – The cash scandal in Brussels
One of the biggest corruption investigations in the history of the European Parliament came to light in December 2022 with operations conducted in Belgium. Within the framework of the Belgian law enforcement investigation, current and former members of the European Parliament, parliamentary staff, and other individuals were announced to be suspected of receiving payments in exchange for exerting political influence in line with the interests of countries such as Qatar and Morocco.
During the operations, over 600,000 euros in cash, computers, and mobile phones were confiscated. One of the most prominent figures in the investigation was Eva Kaili, who was then Vice-President of the European Parliament. The Parliament terminated her vice-presidency in December 2022. European Parliament documents also state that over 500,000 euros in cash were found in the home of former MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri in connection with the case. After the scandal, the European Parliament took a series of steps to tighten transparency and ethical rules.
"Cash-for-Influence” – A trap set for MEPs with a hidden camera
In 2011, a journalistic investigation by the British newspaper “The Sunday Times” brought the issue of lobbying and influencing MEPs' legislative activities in the European Parliament to the agenda. Journalists, posing as lobbyists, offered MEPs money in exchange for preparing and supporting legislative amendment proposals. The investigation resulted in a scandal involving Ernst Strasser from Austria, Zoran Thaler from Slovenia, and Adrian Severin from Romania. The European Parliament lifted the latter's immunity in 2011.
According to Parliament's information, Severin was accused of accepting an offer to receive 100,000 euros from a fake lobbying company in exchange for supporting certain legislative changes. The incident further intensified discussions about the transparency of lobbying activities in the European Parliament.
MEP assistants scandal – European funds diverted to party work
One of the most debated issues in the European Parliament over the years has been cases related to the misuse of funds allocated for MEP assistants. One of the most notable cases in this area concerns France's National Rally (RN) party. In 2025, a French court found the party and 25 individuals guilty of illegally using funds intended for European Parliament assistants. According to the court's findings, individuals funded by the budget allocated for parliamentary assistants were actually working for the party's activities. One of the most recognized figures in the case was Marine Le Pen. The Paris court sentenced her to 4 years in prison, 2 years of which were suspended, a 5-year ban from elected office, and a 100,000 euro fine. The legal process for the case later moved to the appeal stage. This case has once again brought to the agenda the question of where the line should be drawn between funds allocated from the European Parliament's budget and MEPs' political party activities.
“Russiagate” – Allegations of Russian influence in the European Parliament
Another scandal that shook the European Parliament in 2024 was the investigations into a possible influence network linked to Russia. Czech authorities took action regarding the “Voice of Europe” platform operating in Prague. Based on investigations by Czech and Belgian security services, allegations emerged that some MEPs received payments from individuals linked to Russia and conducted propaganda in line with Moscow's interests. The European Parliament also discussed information about Russian influence operations through “Voice of Europe” in its resolution on the matter and noted allegations of some MEPs participating in pro-Russian propaganda in exchange for payment. Thus, “Russiagate,” alongside a classic corruption case, also brought the issue of foreign interference and political influence to the forefront for the European Parliament.
On one hand, the European Parliament presents itself as a proponent of transparency and the protection of democratic institutions, while on the other hand, the scandals of recent years show that issues of lobbying, foreign influence, and financial control within the institution itself remain serious political problems.
In Brussels' “glass palace,” the main question remains the same: to what extent can tightened rules limit the unseen influences behind political decisions?
