In 2012, further damaging his reputation as Belgium's foreign minister, Mr. Reynders made a private visit to Saudi Arabia, where he was hosted by Prince Najef bin-Fawaz al-Salan. In 2007, a French court sentenced the Saudi prince to ten years in prison for smuggling two tons of cocaine into the country on a diplomatic flight. However, since there is no extradition agreement between Interpol and Saudi Arabia, al-Salan never served his sentence. Once the dubious meeting was revealed, Mr. Reynders claimed to Belgian journalists that he had no idea about his counterpart's criminal past.
Despite all of this, Mr. Reynders was still appointed European Commissioner, and the most absurd aspect of the whole affair is that he was appointed to lead the Justice portfolio during the previous term.
Cover photo: Didier Reynders, former Justice Commissioner of the European Commission (Photo: AFP)
