The Gulf state had previously dismissed the “baseless and gravely misinformed” allegations of misconduct.
Qatar has rejected allegations associating it with misconduct at the European Parliament, slamming “preconceived prejudices” against the Gulf state amid the European Union’s scandal.
“We have observed this week’s selective condemnation of our country with great alarm. Inaccurate information leaked to the media by individuals involved in the investigation has sought to manipulate public opinion and distort the views of MEPs,” a diplomat at Qatar’s EU mission told Doha News.
The official added that “it is deeply concerning for those responsible for the leaks have neglected their commitment to justice and truth in pursuit of self-serving objectives.”
The statement comes after members of the European Parliament voted on Thursday to suspend Qatari representatives’ access to its premises, Euronews reported. The vote came after allegations against the Gulf state of bribery in an attempt to influence decision-making.
Qatar has dismissed the allegations as “baseless and gravely misinformed”.
This also came after the Belgian federal prosecutor’s office sent a media statement saying the police “suspected a Gulf country of influencing economic and political decisions of the European parliament.”
The Qatar diplomat noted that the latest decision showed that MEPs had been “significantly misled.”
“It is unfortunate that some acted on preconceived prejudices against Qatar and made their judgements based on the inaccurate information in the leaks rather than waiting for the investigation to conclude and the full evidence to be presented,” the diplomat said.
The diplomat added that Qatar has faced attacks and scrutiny despite it not being the only party named in the investigation.
“The decision to impose such a discriminatory restriction that limits dialogue and cooperation on Qatar before the legal process has ended, will negatively effect regional and global security cooperation, as well as ongoing discussions around global energy poverty and security,” the diplomat said.
The diplomat also highlighted Qatar and Belgium’s close ties, including where the Gulf state stepped in to help during the Covid-19 outbreak and the energy crisis. Doha is a key supplier to Belgium with liquified natural gas (LNG).
Last year, Doha had also helped evacuate Belgians from Afghanistan amid the Taliban’s takeover. The Gulf state had carried out history’s largest airlift of people and was praised globally, further proving its role as a reliable partner.
“It is deeply disappointing that the Belgian government made no effort to engage with our government to establish the facts once they became aware of the allegations,” the diplomat said.
Qatar and the EU also enjoy strong ties and the bloc recently opened a mission in the Gulf state.
“We extend our gratitude to those who have demonstrated their commitment to these relationships during this current wave of attacks against our country,” the diplomat explained.
Since the moment it won the bid to host the World Cup and during the event, Qatar has faced unprecedented criticism over alleged abuses of migrant workers and its policy on the LGBTQ+ community.
The criticism continued even while global officials football fans applauded the smooth atmosphere in Qatar, where tourists from all backgrounds are enjoying the matches while learning about the Arab region.
