That Was The Week That Was 19-23 June 2023
But who is watching the watcher?
One of the roles the press assumes is to call out what it considers questionable behaviour. The press assumes that role, and it is fair to say that we miss it when it does not happen. Not for nothing is the freedom of the press a right worth fighting for. In today’s consolidating and increasingly under strain newspaper world, a publication that makes a point of calling out what it sees as hypocrisy is worth defending – which is why if you do not yet subscribe to the Aviation Intelligence Reporter you might consider doing so. But I digress. No publication has been harder on the goings on in Brussels, particularly in the aviation sector, than Politico.
Indeed, Politico, which has rapidly grown to be the biggest newsroom in Brussels on mix of free daily news briefs, podcasts and very expensive topic specific daily updates which are protected by fiercely guarded firewalls – being quoted in an article will not necessarily get you a free copy of even that piece, let alone that day’s full publication – also claims to be profitable. And, it takes its role in rooting out bad behaviour very seriously. This is how it made that point in a recent publication, which did not fall behind the paywall:
POLITICO here. I just want to make a quick introduction. This is accountability. Accountability meet Brussels. I think you will get along as well as chocolate and moules.My colleagues are probably a little tired of hearing me say this but there really is no other institution in the capital of the European Union that is as capable or motivated to hold power to account as POLITICO is.
It was Politico that broke the story of the then DG of DG MOVE, Henrik Hololei accepting flights from Qatar Airways when the EU-Qatar revised Air Services Agreement was being negotiated. It was Politico that pursued that story, noting that Hololei had also accepted tickets from Qatar Airways to speak at a conference in Doha. Full disclosure, I spoke at that conference too and yes, I too took tickets from the conference sponsor, er… Qatar Airways. For the record, I am always open to speaking at conferences where my expenses are met. Indeed, I am not open to speaking at conferences where my expenses are not met.
More recently, Politico has had José Ramón Bauzá Díaz in its sights. Bauzá was the president of Spain’s Balearic Islands and is now an MEP. He serves on the TRAN committee, which is responsible for Tourism and Transport. He is speaking at next week’s ACI World and ACI-Europe AGM in Barcelona. He is accused of various things, including failing to disclose gifts and travel he received until the Qatar-gate scandal produced an outbreak of disclosure across the European Parliament. That includes Qatar related work.
Politico was unrelenting in its pursuit of Hololei, even when what he had done was within the then applicable rules. It got to the point where the rules were amended. Politico held up the Hololei scalp as evidence of its ‘without fear or favour’ mentality. It seems that Bauzá may be about to get similar scrutiny.
But, when you live in a glass house, it is advisable not to throw stones. Read what the weekly Politico EU Influence newsletter had to say this week:
On another note, this is the final reminder for the U.S. Tri-Mission to invite EU Influence to the Independence Day celebration on June 27. Seriously, guys, the snubbing is just getting kind of mean-spirited at this point.
Mean-spirited, or frankly, all you deserve? It is surely to be hoped that if the writer of this pathetic plea does indeed get this invitation, her accountability loving management will give her the right advice. What is good for the goose has got to be good for the gander.