QatarGate: The lifting of the use of visas for Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and Ecuador is considered by the European Parliament

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MEPs decided to refer the legislative proposal to grant short-term visa-free residence status (“visa”) to citizens of Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Ecuador to the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

The competent committee of the European Parliament will review the decision taken earlier this year by the European Parliament on the possibility of entry of citizens from Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and Ecuador is the European Commission after the QatarGate scandal that broke out and caused tremors in the European Parliament.

At the start of the plenary session in Strasbourg today Monday, MEPs decided to refer the legislative proposal to grant short-term visa-free residence status (“visa”) to the citizens of Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Ecuador to the Politics committee of Freedoms, Justice and Home Affairs for further discussion. The decision, based on Article 198 of the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament, was adopted by a show of hands.

Following the decision, rapporteur Erik Marquardt (Greens, Germany) said: “We must ensure that corruption has not affected the process in question. We must also ensure that any attempt to attack our democracy is met with consequences. Currently, we will not proceed with visa liberalization for Qatar. We need to review the rules of the European Parliament and how they are applied. There must be strict consequences for those who bribed and those who were bribed.”

It is recalled that on Monday, December 1, the Civil Liberties Committee approved a draft report on the visa exemption for Kuwait and Qatar, adding Oman and Ecuador to the list of countries exempt from visa requirements for short-term stays (up to 90 days in a 180-day period); The committee also supported the opening of negotiations on the legislative proposal, which would, however, have to be approved by the full European Parliament.

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