The Qatari government paid for the stay of Wales Chief Minister Mark Drakeford and other senior government officials who went to the Gulf country to witness the recent World Cup in person, which has drawn criticism from the opposition.
The Welsh Executive has confirmed to questions from the BBC that the Qatari authorities arranged «accommodation, food and transport», as a gesture that would also have been offered to other foreign delegations. Drakeford stayed at the Ritz-Carlton, a five-star hotel.
The Liberal Democrat Party, the first to ask for official information about this trip at the end of last year, has warned that accepting Qatar’s help calls into question Wales’ commitment to the defense of Human Rights, a recurrent debate during the last sporting event.
However, the government maintains that the official visit allowed senior officials to present their values and also gave rise to talks on trade and investment.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
