A shock wave shakes the European institution. European Parliament Vice President Eva Kaili was charged, along with three other people, with “corruption” on Sunday in Belgium and jailed. Belgian justice suspects large payments made by Qatar to influence the decisions of certain deputies.
• How did the case come about?
The investigation has been open since mid-July, according to the Belgian newspaper The night. The Brussels justice then investigates the existence of a potential criminal organization infiltrated in the European Parliament.
After months of discreet work, investigators went live last Friday and launched a wave of searches. Six people are arrested, after at least sixteen raids.
Two people are released, but the other four are charged and jailed on Sunday for “membership of a criminal organization”, “money laundering” and “corruption”, according to the Belgian federal prosecutor’s office. Justice “suspects that a Gulf country is trying to influence the economic and political decisions of the European Parliament,” the prosecution continues.
• What are MEPs suspected of?
Specifically, the Belgian justice system asks itself a question: have the MEPs received bribes from Qatar to promote it?
According to clues studied by the Belgian courts, there is talk of “significant sums of money” and possible “significant gifts” from the Gulf country for people in influential positions within the European institution.
A vote now questions some MEPs. On November 24, the European Parliament debated and then voted on a resolution condemning the human rights violations in Qatar. The Social Democratic group voted against the very principle of this resolution, before finally preventing the adoption of several amendments.
The band really insisted that we not vote it out. It was a surprise,” confesses Social Democrat MEP Niels Fulsgang to BFMTV. Was this vote influenced by Qataris? It will be up to the investigators to determine.
• Who are the accused persons?
Among those accused and imprisoned, one name stands out: that of the vice president of the European Parliament. Eva Kaili, a 44-year-old Greek MEP, had held her position as vice-president since January.
If the prosecution has not revealed any names, according to the Belgian press, the other people in jail are Francesco Giorgi, a parliamentary assistant attached to the group of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), also a colleague of Eva Kaili, the former Italian MEP Pier -Antonio Panzeri, now director of the NGO Fight Impunity, and a Brussels lobbyist.
Eva Kaili’s father would also have been concerned about this case. the belgian newspaper the echo claims he was caught carrying a large sum of cash “in a suitcase.” He was released.
• Why is the vice president mentioned more specifically in this case?
One accusation concentrates most of the eyes, that of the vice president of the European Parliament Eva Kaili, in particular for her key position in the institution. As one of the people whose home was raided on Friday, she was immediately suspended from her duties. Her assets have also been frozen by Greece, Athens announced on Monday.
A particularity in this case, the Greek MEP was caught red-handed, according to a source familiar with the matter. Indeed, in his apartment “bags of banknotes” were discovered, according to a judicial source. Therefore, he could not benefit from his parliamentary immunity and his title and functions were withdrawn from him.
Eva Kaili has never hidden her closeness to Qatar and had praised a country “leader in labor rights” during a speech in the European Parliament a few days after the opening of the World Cup.
• Is there a link to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar?
Potentially yes. According to Belgian investigators, the bribes handed out to the MEPs had one purpose: to restore Qatar’s image in the run-up to the World Cup, hosted by the Gulf country.
The event, which currently attracts all eyes, is widely criticized by certain Western governments and international NGOs. They point to the issue of human rights in the country, and in particular those of the workers who worked in the construction of the stadiums.
• What are the consequences to expect?
Investigations are not yet ongoing. During the raids, computer equipment and telephones were seized by the investigators. They must be analyzed by researchers.
On the side of the European Parliament, the revelations caused protests. Some elected officials are already calling for reforms to ensure the ethics of parliamentarians. A meeting between the presidents of the groups is scheduled for Monday in the European Parliament.
Source: BFM TV
