(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula
In an interview with an Italian news website True-News.it, Editor–in-Chief of The Peninsula Dr. Khalid Al-Shafi stressed that what the European media termed“Qatar Gate” is simply“a theatrical act aimed at tarnishing the image of my country”.
The True News website published the interview in Italian, and here is a rough translation of the same:
True-News.it interviewed the Editor-in-Chief of one of the most important newspapers in Qatar to understand how the scandal is viewed there.
The Qatar Gate is making public opinion and politicians from all over Europe are discussing it amid attacks on the left and constant updates from the judiciary. We wondered, however, how they view the alleged corruption in Qatar in an interview with the Editor-in-Chief of The Peninsula newspaper, one of the major Qatari newspapers.
“I would not call it Qatar gate but European Gate,” the opinion of Dr. Khalid Al-Shafi is dry and firm.
The alleged corruption scandal, which is engulfing the European Parliament and the left, given the arrests of the former trade unionist Antonio Panzeri and three other members of the 'Socialists and Democrats' group, is seen by the Qatari journalist as a 'set up'.
“The European media want to tarnish the image of Qatar”
He told, exclusively, to True-News.it that“Since Qatar obtained the right to host the World Cup, the state has been the subject of campaigns, especially by the European media, in an attempt to tarnish its image. Sometimes under the guise of corruption and others in the name of the protection of human rights, labor rights and support for the Muslim Brotherhood. The reasons are racist.'
“Qatar cannot be involved in corruption or illegality”
Attacks are motivated, according to Dr. Khalid Al-Shafi, by a sort of envy of Westerners at seeing Qatar presenting itself to the world in“a bright image”:“They don't want to see an Arab and Muslim country being able to host a global sporting event. But despite the intensity of the smear campaigns, they could not prove any of the allegations. What they now call“Qatar Gate” is nothing more than a continuation of the smear campaigns. Of course, Qatar is a country that has created a bright image through soft power and mediated conflict resolution in many countries. Qatar cannot, therefore, be involved in corruption or illegality.
“Scandal is a theatrical act”
“Qatar enjoys excellent relations with European countries and European institutions including NATO and the European Union. And it invests billions of dollars in these countries. State policy is characterized by transparency in its relations with European countries. The manner in which what they termed a“corruption case” and the amount that is said to have been found appears to be a theatrical act, orchestrated with the obvious purpose of defaming the country and damage its global stature. Qatar is waiting for the truth to emerge and the results of the investigations which we hope will be revealed in a transparent manner'.