The European Socialist Party was “completely surprised” by Friday’s arrests involving European Parliament Vice-President Eva Kaili, speaking as a “bucket of cold water” and a “shock” to the European trade union movement.
A source from the European Socialist Party (PES) told the Lusa bureau this Saturday that recent statements by Eva Kaili – who in a November plenary session had characterized Qatar as a “pioneer of labor rights” – were astonishing, but that they never “through anyone that this could, at least supposedly, have some other origin”.
Speaking of a “bucket of cold water” for the PES, the source in question also believes that the arrest of the general secretary of the International Confederation of Trade Unions (ITUC), Luca Visentini, is a “shock” for the movement European Union .
“It is worrying, also because there is often the temptation to overly attach the IVV to the socialists, and now the socialists and the IVV are appearing in the same case… It is bad for the European trade union movement,” he says.
According to the source, according to initial information, it must have been former Socialist MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri – also arrested on Friday – who initiated the investigation behind the arrests.
The PES now hopes that no more arrests will take place, as the European Parliament is “extremely demanding” on transparency in its relations with lobbies, to avoid conflicts of interest.
As for the possible involvement of Portuguese Socialist MEPs, the source in question guarantees that “nobody has any connection with Qatar” and that therefore “absolutely nothing” should come up in this investigation involving the Portuguese delegation.
Despite this, the PES believes that this case will have “costs” in the view of the European Parliament, but believes that the extent of the damage will depend on the evolution of the investigation.
For now, he insists that both the European Parliament and the PES were “very clear in denying any involvement” in the case and in “expressing their willingness to cooperate” with police authorities.
Metsola guarantees the cooperation of the European Parliament in investigations
Meanwhile, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said this Saturday that the European institution she heads “will do everything” to help the investigation.
“Our European Parliament is firmly against corruption. At this stage we are unable to comment on ongoing investigations, except to confirm that we have cooperated and will continue to cooperate fully with all relevant judicial and police authorities,” Metsola wrote in a message. published on his official account on the social network Twitter.
European Parliament vice-president, Greek socialist Eva Kaili, is one of five arrested in Belgium as part of an investigation into alleged illegal lobbying by Qatar to influence political decisions in Strasbourg, according to the Belgian press.
Eva Kaili, who holds one of the EP’s 14 vice-presidencies, was arrested on Friday as part of this investigation and her home was searched by authorities, the newspapers “Le Soir” and “Knack” reported.
A source close to the trial told AFP that Eva Kaili was “detained for questioning” by police.
In Athens, the Greek Socialist Party (Pasok-Kinal), of which Kaili is a member, announced that she had been “fired”. PES meanwhile also announced Kaili’s suspension with “immediate effect”.
Brussels police conducted 16 house searches and made the arrests, including Kaili’s companion, a current associate with ties to the Socialists and Democrats group in the EP, the same sources said.
“Le Soir” and “Knack” had raised on Friday morning the existence of an investigation into an alleged case of corruption, criminal organization and money laundering launched in July by the Attorney General of the Republic of Belgium, on suspicion that Qatar might have tried to influence the position of the EP.
“For several months now, police detectives have suspected that a Gulf state is trying to influence the economic and political decisions of the European Parliament,” the Federal Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement on Friday.
This state allegedly carried out this strategy by “paying substantial sums and offering important gifts to third parties, to people with an important political or strategic position within the European Parliament,” he added.
Although the Belgian public prosecutor does not explicitly mention Qatar, the two Belgian media cite different sources that confirm that it is the country that organizes the World Cup.
Source: DN
