The scandal broke late last week. Four people, including European Parliament Vice-President Eva Kaili, were arrested in what appears to be the start of a corruption case unprecedented for the institution. This morning it was revealed that Eva Kaili is being investigated for corruption and that large sums of money have been found at her home and those of her co-accused. The update on what we know.
European Parliament vice-president falls on corruption charges
The case appears to be turning into a major scandal: the European Federal Prosecutor’s Office has confirmed that four people have been arrested for “membership of a criminal organisation, money laundering and corruption”. This would also concern Pier Antonio Panzeri, a former Italian MEP, who is also president of the NGO Fight Impunity.
Searches were carried out in the homes of the accused and 12 other people. 1 million euros were reportedly found in Eva Kaili’s home and 500,000 euros in Pier Antonio Panzeri’s home, all in cash. Reports also indicate that tens of thousands of euros were found in other homes of unnamed persons. This is the first time a raid of this magnitude has been conducted in Brussels. In addition to the cash, the authorities seized phones, computers and documents.
According to AFP, Eva Kaili was caught “in flagrante delicto”, in possession of bags of cash when she was arrested on Friday evening. A statement from the prosecutor’s office reveals the extent of the investigation:
It is suspected that the payment of large sums of money or the offer of significant gifts to third parties with a political and/or strategic position within the European Parliament, allowing them to influence decisions, is involved.
Links to Qatar?
The accusation is said to have originated with a whistleblower who revealed that members of the European Parliament had links to Qatar, including members of the government. Indeed, it is noted that on 22 November last year, Eva Kaili had visited Qatar, a visit she said was productive, prompting her to say afterwards:
“Qatar is a pioneer in labour rights “
A statement that had already raised a few eyebrows, as the country was accused of running a system that led to the deaths of a huge number of workers on World Cup construction sites. Some also noted Marc Tarabella’s claim. The Member of the European Parliament recently said that Qatar was “a good example for other countries in the region to follow”. His office has been sealed by the Belgian judiciary for investigation.
The reports have been multiplying since Friday. According to a TF1 report, Natalie Loiseau, a Renaissance MEP, claims to have been the subject of an intimidation attempt last February when she was critical of Qatar. Manon Aubry, chairwoman of the left-wing group in the European Parliament, also reported in a lengthy Twitter thread that she had encountered major difficulties in negotiating a resolution on human rights abuses at World Cup construction sites:
Worst corruption scandal in history rocks parliament involving Qatar and socialist elected officials.
While negotiating a resolution on Qatar, I saw first-hand the emirate’s interference.
Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at a story that hasn’t been told yet⤵️
– Manon Aubry (@ManonAubryFr) December 11, 2022
In the midst of the World Cup, these accusations and revelations are explosive, and augur a scandal never seen before in the European Union. It should also be remembered that Eva Kaili is known for her particularly “pro-crypto” positions. She strongly supported the European MiCA regulation and was preparing a report on non-fungible tokens (NFT) to present to the Parliament. While the institution has just adopted particularly strict rules for the cryptocurrency ecosystem, in order to fight against money laundering, the case leaves one wondering.
