The group of European Socialists (S&D) in the European Parliament decided on Monday to expel from the group, “with immediate effect”, the vice president of the European Parliament Eva Kaili, accused of corruption, also calling for her removal from office. In the institution
In a press release released after today’s meeting, the S&D informs that, at the proposal of the board, it decided to “expel Eva Kaili from the group with immediate effect, after the suspension of her mandate” last Friday.
“In addition, the S&D group demanded the dismissal of Eva Kaili from the position of vice-president of the European Parliament, during the plenary session this week, invoking article 21 of the Regulation”, referring to the early termination of functions.
The regulation of the European assembly provides, in its article 21, that a vice-president (or another person in charge) retires early in his functions when he is “guilty of serious misconduct”, in a decision proposed by the Conference of presidents of the institution and adopted in plenary by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast, which constitutes the majority of the members of the European Parliament.
“We are shocked by the allegations of corruption in the European Parliament. The S&D group has zero tolerance for corruption. We support a thorough investigation and full disclosure. We will fully cooperate with all investigating authorities,” the European Socialists stress in the press release. .
The S&D has also decided today to suspend the participation of the MEPs of the caucus that are involved in the judicial investigation in question and, “in the event that the irregularities are confirmed, the group will put an end to the participation of those interested”.
If the ongoing investigation “concludes foreign interference and corruption,” the group also calls for “sanctions to be imposed on any states and individuals involved.”
Among other measures proposed today by the European Socialists are the creation of a commission of inquiry into foreign interference in EU institutions, the temporary suspension of work on cases involving the Gulf States, in particular as regards visa liberalization, and even if, in this week’s plenary session in the French city of Strasbourg, a debate is added on “suspicions of corruption in the Gulf countries and the broader need for transparency and accountability accounts in the EU institutions”.
Greek MEP Eva Kaili, Vice-President of the European Parliament and member of the European Socialists (Group of Socialists and Democrats, S&D), is detained in Belgium for alleged involvement in a corruption case involving bribery by Qatar to influence decisions of the European Parliament on holding the 2022 edition of the Soccer World Cup in that country.
A Belgian judge decided this Sunday to charge her, along with three other people -among them her partner, the Italian Francesco Giorgi-, for the crime of participation in a criminal organization, money laundering and corruption.
The Greek Anti-Money Laundering Authority today confiscated the assets (real estate, bank accounts, companies) in the country of the Vice-President of the European Parliament (currently suspended from office) and her closest relatives.
The seizure of Kaili’s assets and those of her closest relatives in Greece was ordered by the head of the Anti-Money Laundering Authority and Deputy Prosecutor of the Greek Supreme Court, Jaralabos Vurliotis, with the justification that they may come from illegal activities. .
Kaili’s father is also implicated in the case, since on Friday the police caught him red-handed in a hotel with a bag with 600,000 euros in cash, with which he intended to flee.
According to the Greek media, another 150,000 euros in suitcases were found in a search carried out at Kaili’s house in Brussels.
Source: TSF
