A Greek MP accused of a corruption scheme involving Qatar will remain in detention after her court hearing was postponed on Wednesday.
European Parliament Vice-President Eva Kaili was due to appear before a judge in Brussels along with three other people. Her lawyer, André Risopoulos, said her hearing has been moved to December 22.
Kaili is accused of accept bribes influence European policy in favor of the Qatar regime. She was taken into police custody after detectives raided her home and said they found “bags of money”.
Two suspects, including Kaili’s partner Francesco Giorgi, a parliamentary adviser, and Pier Antonio Panzeri, a former MP and founder of a non-profit group, were held in custody on Wednesday following the court hearing.
QATAR DENIAL REPORT OF COLLUSION WITH IRAN TO SUFFER DISSENT AT WORLD CUP
Greek politician and European Parliament vice-president Eva Kaili speaks during the European Book Prize award ceremony in Brussels, December 7, 2022. The senior European Union official said on Monday that corruption allegations against a vice-president of the European Parliament are “of the utmost concern” and called for the creation of an independent ethics body covering all the institutions of the bloc.
(AP)
The police conducted more than 20 raids, mostly in Belgium but also in Italy, as part of an investigation into alleged bribes for political favours. Prosecutors said in a statement they suspect people “in political and/or strategic positions within the European Parliament have received large sums of money or offered substantial gifts to influence Parliament’s decisions”.
Authorities have not identified the Gulf nation suspected of offering money or gifts to European Parliament officials, but several insiders have linked the investigation to Qatar, which is hosting the FIFA World Cup.
“The State of Qatar categorically rejects any attempts to associate it with allegations of misconduct. Any association by the Government of Qatar with the reported claims is baseless and grossly misinformed,” a Qatari embassy official previously told Fox News Digital. Qatar to Washington, DC. .
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Cross said relations between the European Union and any country involved in the alleged corruption scheme could be undermined.
In this photo provided by the Belgian Federal Judicial Police on Wednesday, a portion of the $1.5 million found and seized by Belgian police in Brussels.
(AP)
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“Trying to influence our decision-making process with corruption, if it is confirmed that this is the case, that it is linked to certain countries, I would not see how it would not have consequences in the relationship,” he said. “First of all, the error lies with the people who let themselves be corrupted. Let’s be clear. But it’s not just them. There are always two faces”.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
