The European Parliament (EP) has suspended the mandate of Greek Social Democratic MEP Vice President Eva Kaili, who was arrested in Belgium on Friday, it was announced on Saturday
“In light of the ongoing judicial investigations carried out by the Belgian authorities, Chairman [do Parlamento Europeu, Roberta] Metsola has decided to suspend with immediate effect all powers, duties and functions delegated to Eva Kaili as Vice President of the European Parliament.”revealed a spokesman for the leader of the EP.
MEP Eva Kaili was arrested in Belgium on Friday, along with four other people, as part of an investigation into alleged illegal lobbying by Qatar to influence political decisions in Strasbourg.
The arrests followed at least 16 raids on an investigation into suspected “significant” payments from a Gulf state to influence MEPs’ decisions.
The federal prosecutor’s office did not name the country, but a judicial source close to the case confirmed to the AFP agency that it was Qatar, media outlets Le Soir and Knack revealed.
The case arose during the 2002 FIFA World Cup, when the host country was forced to defend its reputation for respecting human rights, particularly that of workers.
The case took on an extra dimension when the identity of the fifth arrested on Friday evening was confirmed, namely Greek MEP Eva Kaili, a 44-year-old former television presenter who has become a figure of social democracy in your country. He is also Vice President of the European Parliament along with 13 other MEPs.
This Saturday, the interrogations of five suspects continued in Brussels, according to a spokesman for the federal prosecutor’s office.
This has been confirmed by an Italian court House arrest of wife and daughter of former MEP Pier Antonio Panzerione of five arrested in Belgium.
According to the local press, Italy’s Public Prosecutor’s Office claimed on Saturday in a court in the northern city of Brescia that Maria Colleoni and Silvia Panzeri were aware of the former left-wing MEP’s activities.
The trial of the two defendants will begin on December 19.
The move prompted Green and Social Democratic MEPs to announce they would oppose the start of negotiations on visa liberalization for Qatari nationals in the European Union on Monday, as the country is suspected of corruption.
On Monday, MEPs in Strasbourg should approve the start of talks between the European Parliament and EU member states to finalize a text simplifying the visa regime for travelers from Qatar and Kuwait.
The text, which was given the green light by member states at the end of June, would exempt citizens of Qatar and Kuwait traveling to the EU bloc from the visa requirement for a period of up to 90 days, subject to a mutual agreement with both countries. to land.
“Zero tolerance for corruption. The Greens will oppose the mandate to start visa liberalization talks with Qatar on Monday,” Green MEP Terry Reintke said on Twitter.
The Social Democratic Group (S&D) in turn calls for “suspension of work on all dossiers and votes pertaining to the Gulf States, in particular in the field of visa liberalisation”.
Source: DN
