Greek MP Eva Kaili and three other people are accused of corruption, money laundering and belonging to a criminal organization.
Greek MEP Eva Kaili was arrested in Brussels for corruption suspicions linked to Qatar and stripped of her functions as vice-president of the European Parliament.
Kaili was “suspended with immediate effect from all the powers, duties and tasks that had been delegated to her in her capacity as vice-president of the European Parliament,” said the spokesperson for the presidency of the chamber, Roberta Metsola.
the vice president He is one of the four people arrested in the framework of a possible case of corruption, criminal organization and money laundering in the Eurocámara, linked to the country organizing the World Cup.
The detainees testified on Saturday before the Belgian judge handling the case, who He will decide tomorrow whether or not to release themas confirmed by the federal prosecutor’s office.
Metsola said in a Twitter message that the institution “stands firm against corruption”, and assured that it will cooperate “fully with the relevant police and judicial authorities.” “We will do everything possible to help justice,” he said.
Our @Europarl_EN stands firmly against corruption.
At this stage, we cannot comment on any ongoing investigations except to confirm that we have & will cooperate fully with all relevant law enforcement & judicial authorities.
We’ll do all we can to assist the course of justice.
— Roberta Metsola (@EP_President) December 10, 2022
Others arrested in the case
Together with Kaili, those arrested are the ex-European MP Pier Antonio Panzeri ; the newly elected president of the International Trade Union Confederation, Luva Visentiniand a lobbyist whose identity has not been disclosed.
The Belgian judicial police carried out 16 house searches on Friday and arrested these people, after having carried out an investigation for several months in which suspected that Qatar has tried to influence the economic and political decisions of the European Parliament.
I would have “paying substantial amounts of money and offering significant gifts to third parties with an important political or strategic position within the European Parliament,” the federal prosecutor’s office said on Friday.
In fact, the judicial police confiscated computer equipment, mobile phones and some 600,000 euros in cash.
According to the Belgian newspapers “Le Soir” and “Knack”, half a million euros in cash were found at Panzeri’s housewho is now president of the Fight Impunity association, dedicated to fighting impunity for serious violations of human rights or crimes against humanity.
The European Commission strips Eva Kaili, vice-president of the European Parliament, of her functions.
The deputy was arrested on suspicion of corruption and money laundering. Kaili said last November that the emirate “is a leader in terms of labor rights.”#DWNoticias / air pic.twitter.com/MXTT8vXIKx
— DW Spanish (@dw_espanol) December 10, 2022