Vice-President Nicola Beer of the European Parliament (EP) is shocked by the corruption scandal involving her colleague Eva Kaili, she reported on Saturday. On Friday, Belgian media reported that Kaili is involved in Qatari corruption. The Gulf State is said to have bribed assistants to MEPs to influence European Parliament decisions.
German liberal Beer is “bewildered” and fears that the scandal will have a very negative effect on the European Parliament, which has fourteen vice-presidents.
Greek social democrat Kaili was one of the leaders of the European Parliament arrested by Belgian police on Friday. Lui is being interrogated by a special anti-corruption unit.
Greek and Belgian media reported that at least €600,000 in cash was found in plastic bags at Kaila’s home. Her father was also found at the house, who wanted to travel with a suitcase full of cash. Kaili’s partner Francesco Giorgi was also arrested, according to Greek and Belgian media.
MEPs have no immunity against crimes and offences. They enjoy immunity from prosecution for what they said as members of parliament.
Belgian justice speaks of ‘a Gulf State’
The Belgian judiciary says on Saturday that people with important political and/or strategic positions in the European Parliament have received large sums of money and “large gifts” from “a Gulf state”. According to the judiciary, the intention was to “try to influence the economic and political decisions of the parliament”.
Giorgi was previously an assistant to a former MEP (2014-2019), Pier Antonio Pancheri, who was also arrested in this case. His human rights organization “Fight Impunity” is under review by the Belgian judiciary. The same goes for Niccolò Figa Talamanca, who also runs a human rights organization, “There is no peace without justice”.
Even social democrats among the prisoners
According to media reports, the fifth prisoner is the new general secretary of the International Confederation of Trade Unions (CIS), Luca Vizentini. Previously he was head of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). The names of Belgian Social Democrat MEPs Marc Tarabella and Marie Arena are also mentioned. With the latter, the investigation would focus on its employees.
Transparency International (TI), the international anti-corruption NGO, said this was just one of many incidents. According to TI, a culture of impunity has prevailed within the European Parliament for decades. There would be weak financial regulation, deficient oversight mechanisms and a complete lack of independent ethical oversight. “The EP believes that ethical rules only apply to others,” said TI.
