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Rabat – Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have recommended that the institution take measures against Morocco for its alleged implication in the EU corruption case, one month after the EP adopted a resolution condemning Morocco for alleged breaches of press freedom.
“The measures taken regarding representatives of Qatar should be extended to those of Morocco,” a press release from the European Parliament reads.
In December 2022, the parliament adopted a resolution outlining measures to be taken against Qatar for its own implication in the corruption scandal, which took the EU by storm.
The measures included the suspension of access badges for members of Qatar’s mission to EU institutions pending an investigation, among others.
These latest recommendations from MEPs come one month after the European Parliament passed a resolution condemning Morocco for alleged violations of press freedom and freedom of speech.
The resolution was immediately met with backlash from the North African country, where observers, politicians, and institutions saw it as a case of unjust interference in the country’s domestic affairs.
Others pointed to frustration among some MEPs because of Morocco’s recent diplomatic gains, especially in the Western Sahara dispute, and the country’s alignment with new international partners.
Morocco’s Parliament held a session dedicated to discussing the resolution, culminating in an announcement that cooperation between the institution and its European counterpart would be “re-evaluated.”
News about corruption in the European Parliament emerged in December 2022 when four MEPs were arrested under charges of corruption and money-laundering.
Allegations pointed to Qatar as the source of the MEPs’ bribes, although the country denied any connection to the scandal.
Further reports then alleged that Morocco was also involved in the bribery operations, leading Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch to file a defamation lawsuit in Paris.
In January, Morocco’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita described the investigation into Morocco’s involvement as “judicial and media harassment.”
Bourita praised Morocco’s relationship with the EU, decrying that the ties “face attacks” from some quarters that harbor deep-seated hostility toward Morocco and its territorial integrity.
