Vice president of the European UnionEU) parliament was suspendedAfter being caught up in an inquiry, she was forced to resign from her duties Saturday into influence peddlingThe EUassembly, which is alleged to have involved officials from a Gulf state.
Eva Kaili, an ex-news anchor for Greek TV, is 44 years old. suspendedby her party, in Greece and the EUFriday’s assembly’s Socialists and Democrats group was impacted by 16 raids in Brussels by Belgian police. These raids were part a larger a probe into allegedCorruption and money laundering at parliament
Four people were detained for questioning, and investigators recovered around 600,000 euros (around $862,500 Cdn) in cash and seized computer equipment and mobile telephones. The four men were not identified by the authorities, but at least one of them was. EUOne was a lawmaker, and one was a former member.
While authorities have not been able to identify the Gulf country believed to have offered cash or gifts in exchange for political favors to parliament officials, several members of the Parliament have linked the investigation with Qatar.
Parliament President Roberta Metsola “has decided to suspend with immediate effect all powers, duties and tasks that were delegated to Eva Kaili in her capacity as vice president of the European Parliament,” Metsola’s spokesperson said late Saturday.
He said that the decision was made “in light of ongoing judicial investigations by Belgian Authorities”, but he did not provide further details.
Green co-president is open to inquiry
Philippe Lamberts, co-president of Greens group, demanded a parliamentaryEchoing other calls, inquiry is being made and the matter to be brought up for discussion this week.
Lamberts stated that the Greens “strongly condemn corruption” and that bribery, money and precious gifts could not be used to draw political lines in their house. His group will vote against Qatar visa facilitation during this week’s plenary election, he said.
The EUIn April, the European Commission (the executive branch) proposed that citizens of Qatar be allowed to stay in the bloc’s 27 member countries without a visa, providing they have a biometric pass. This legislation is now moving through the assembly.
Kaili’s party in Greece was the Socialist Pasok – Movement for Change. It publicly disassociated itself from comments she made in the EUParliament praised Qatar last month for hosting the World Cup’s gala event.
She stated that the World Cup was “proof” of how sports diplomacy could achieve historical transformation in a country through reforms that have inspired the Arab world. Kaili reiterated the International Labour Organization’s view that Qatar is “a leader in labour rights.”
Belgian prosecutors stated that Friday’s raids led to the suspicion by federal judicial authorities that a country not yet identified in the Gulf region was trying “to” arrest them. influenceThe economic and political decisions made by the European Parliament.”
This was done by “paying large sums of cash or offering large gifts” to third parties that held a high political and/or strategic status within the European Parliament.
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