Brussels’ corruption scandal shows the EU is rotten to the core

Brussels’ little world is buzzing. Everyone is talking about the now former Vice President of the European Parliament Eva Kaili, who was arrested with bags full of banknotes: from bartenders in the pubs to the president of the European Parliament, who recognizes the risk of EU agencies completely losing credibility.

The scandal involving the Greek socialist MEP is not just a disgraceful exception.

Problems of equal weight may also affect the European Commission; a couple of commissioners may find themselves in the shadow of accusations, as well as the president of the commission due to the unclear contract of the century for acquiring Covid-19 vaccines.

Scandals shook the Court of Justice of the European Union and the EU audit institutions: OLAF, the EU’s anti-fraud office, and the European Court of Auditors. The lack of real audit mechanisms can be clearly seen in terms of the lack of procedures and democratic tools available to oversee the Mandarin caste that is ruling Europe.

This group that wields power in the EU will certainly not be interested in any significant change because that would break up this political cartel. The lack of democratic changes, and the lack of restoration of the role of the nation states, must lead to further rotting and the collapse of this festering European construct under its own weight.