European Parliament President, Roberta Metsola, announced that she has temporarily suspended her Greek Vice President, Eva Kaili, from her duties, including representing her in the Middle East, due to an ongoing investigation by Belgian authorities "into corruption suspicions related to Qatar," according to AFP. A spokesperson for Metsola stated, "In light of the judicial investigations being conducted by Belgian authorities, President Metsola has decided to immediately suspend all powers, duties, and responsibilities entrusted to Eva Kaili as Vice President of the European Parliament."
This is the first penalty issued by the European Parliament in relation to a case that has sparked strong reactions in Brussels following an anti-corruption police operation in one of the largest institutions of the European Union. Five people, including Eva Kaili, were arrested in Brussels on Friday following at least 16 searches as part of an investigation into allegations of "large" financial payments from a Gulf state to influence decisions of members of the European Parliament.
While the federal prosecutor's office did not name the country, a judicial source familiar with the case confirmed to AFP that it is Qatar, as previously reported by the newspaper "L'Echo" and the news site "Knack." A Qatari government official stated to AFP on Saturday, "Any allegations of misconduct by the state of Qatar represent a serious fallacy."
Kaili, 44, is a former television presenter and a prominent figure in the social democratic party in her country. She holds the position of Vice President of the European Parliament alongside 13 other members.
