The urgency of greater transparency in EU decisions dictated by Qatargate could force Ursula von der Leyen to provide answers on contracts with Pfizer. The MEPs of the special committee of the European Parliament on Covid are convinced of this, who have asked the number one of the Palazzo Berlaymont to go to the hemicycle to answer their questions. The public hearing aims to clarify the role of German politics in the conclusion of contracts between the EU and Pfizer for the supply of doses against Covid.
Metsola’s role
However, the Commission has, at least for the time being, denied von der Leyen’s presence in the plenary hall: “It is the President of the European Parliament who invites the President of the Commission to appear before the Eurochamber and this invitation has not arrived, “explained the spokeswoman of von der Leyens, Dana Spinant. At this point, the ball passes to Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, who faces the dilemma of whether to comply with MEPs’ request and invite the President, or to “protect” from the von der Leyen hearing, which is part of Parliament’s same political family like Metsola or the European People’s Party.
The thirst for transparency
At the moment, Eurochamber’s number one is presenting himself in order to get the House to approve the new rules on internal transparency and relations with lobbies. The reform became necessary after the explosion of the Qatargate scandal, in which some MPs, parliamentary assistants and former members of the European Parliament are implicated in various ways.
Although there is no connection between the scandal that led to the arrests of Antonio Panzeri and Eva Kaili and the transparency issues in the negotiations with Pfizer over anti-Covid doses, some parliamentarians are using the first question to get results for the second. “The fight for more transparency in the relationship between the lobby and the EU applies not only to Qatar, but also to the Commission itself,” said Green MEP Rosa D’Amato.
The history
Allegations against von der Leyen over his relationship with Pfizer date back to April 2021, when the US newspaper New York Times revealed that Commission President and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla negotiated through “calls and text messages”. Delivery of 1.8 billion doses of anti-Covid vaccine.
Pfizer CEO refuses (again) to answer questions from the EU Parliament
The Commission has not offered any clarification on the text messages. Hence the intervention of European mediator Emily O’Reilly, who requested access to confidential discussions. At the end of June, the commission said it could not find the text messages from the President of the EU executive and Pfizer’s number one. Subsequently, Bourla preferred not to attend a hearing before the parliamentary committee on Covid-19 to which he had been invited. A decision that has infuriated several MPs who are now asking for clarification.