The case came as a shock to the EU: Vice President Kaili, among others, was arrested on allegations of corruption. She is said to have hoarded sacks of cash. Transparency complains about faulty controls and sees no isolated cases.
After the allegations of corruption against EU Vice President Eva Kaili became known, experts called for reforms. For decades, Parliament has allowed the development of a “culture of impunity” and a “lack of independent ethical oversight,” said the non-governmental organization Transparency International. EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola assured the judiciary of the support of her house in clarifying the case.
It was “not an isolated case,” Transparency International said after the arrests. The control mechanisms in Parliament are “flawed,” wrote Alberto Alemanno, law professor at the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium on Twitter.
On Friday, Kaili, one of the 14 Vice Presidents of the European Parliament, was arrested in Brussels in connection with corruption investigations in which the World Cup host country Qatar is said to play a key role. Four Italians were also arrested, including Kaili’s partner Francesco Giorgi, who is a parliamentary assistant for the Socialist Group in the European Parliament. Pier Antonio Panzeri, former Social Democrat MEP and current head of the non-governmental organization Fight Impunity, and the General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), Luca Visentini, were also arrested.
The Belgian investigators are investigating the suspicion of “gang corruption and money laundering”. There is a suspicion that Qatar tried to influence the decisions of the European Parliament with considerable sums of money and gifts.
Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn called on the arrested Kaili to give up her seat in Parliament. “I hope that this woman has the decency to return her mandate,” Asselborn told the “Tagesspiegel”. It was “very disappointing that corruption is at play in the European Parliament”. Kaili’s socialist Pasok party has also called for a renunciation of a mandate. “Pressure is being exerted in the party so that Ms. Kaili gives up her seat in parliament,” said a Pasok member in Athens.
After the arrests on Friday, the Belgian investigators are busy evaluating the confiscated mobile phones and other data carriers. According to a spokesman for the Belgian federal prosecutor’s office in Brussels, the five suspects were further questioned this Saturday.
The responsible investigating judge had to decide whether the accused should be remanded in custody. According to Belgian law, the deadline for this decision expires 48 hours after the arrest – in the case of Parliament Vice President Kaili, on Sunday evening.
The Belgian newspaper “L’Echo” published more information about Kailis’ arrest. Accordingly, the investigators discovered “several sacks full of banknotes” in the Brussels apartment of the politician. According to “L’Echo”, the police launched a search of the premises after they caught Kailis’ father with a large amount of cash in “a suitcase”.
