It is indeed embarrassing for the EU! Last Friday, the Belgian police arrested Greek Socialist MEP Eva Kaili, one of 14 vice presidents of the European Parliament. On Sunday, it became known that the Belgian prosecutors formally charged Kaili and three others in a major investigation into an alleged illicit influence campaign by Qatar. Arrest warrants have allegedly been issued on suspicion of corruption, money laundering, and membership in a criminal organization.
Belgian media claimed “bags of cash” had been found at the home of Eva Kaili, 44. Also charged is Kaili’s partner, Francesco Giorgi, a parliamentary assistant to another MEP and a founder of the NGO Fight Impunity. Kaili’s father, who was caught leaving a hotel with a large amount of cash, and Luca Visentini, the general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation, who was also arrested earlier, have been conditionally released.
Kaili was suspended from her role as vice president of the European Parliament after she was arrested in the probe, a spokesperson for Parliament President Roberta Metsola said on Saturday.
The investigation comes as Qatar is hosting the FIFA World Cup 2022. The scandal is embarrassing for the Qatari government and FIFA.
Corruption costs the EU economy between €179 billion and €990 billion a year, representing up to 6% of EU GDP in lost tax revenue and investment, according to a 2016 estimate cited in a document published by the European Parliament to mark the day.
