In connection with a Gulf state's inquiry into
possible bribery at the European Parliament, purportedly Qatar, four persons
have been charged.
Eva Kaili, a Greek MEP and vice president of the European Parliament, was previously detained in connection with the investigation. Authorities believe the Gulf state sought to sway legislative choices by giving gifts or financial contributions.
The government of Qatar has refuted the allegation that their nation is the accused one, which has been made by local media. It may be one of the largest corruption scandals the European Parliament has ever seen, according to watchdogs and opposition MEPs.
The Socialists and Democrats Group in the parliament
as well as one of the 14 vice presidents' responsibilities have been suspended
for Ms. Kaili. She was also kicked out of the Greek Pasok party, which is on
the left of centre.
On Saturday night, Roberta Metsola, the president of
the European Parliament, took a flight from her native Malta to Brussels to see
the constitutionally mandated search of a member of the European Parliament's
home.
Ms. Metsola chose to "immediately suspend all
powers, obligations, and activities that were allocated to Eva Kaili,"
according to a representative for her. The European Parliament "stands
firmly against corruption," the spokesperson continued, and is
"completely collaborating" with investigators.
In 16 searches conducted on Friday in Brussels,
Belgian police confiscated cash totaling roughly €600,000 ($632,000; £515,000).
Additionally confiscated for examination were computers and cell phones.
Two of the six persons who were held for questioning have already been released. The investigation's chief investigator in Brussels has detained four people, according to a statement from the federal prosecutor's office in Belgium.
"They face accusations of corruption, money
laundering, and affiliation with a criminal organisation. The investigating
judge has freed two people."
The prosecutor claimed that for several months, investigators had had reason to believe that a Gulf state had been meddling in the economic and political choices of the parliament, particularly by focusing on aides. The Gulf nation under scrutiny has been identified by local media as Qatar.
"We are not aware of any specifics of an
inquiry," a Qatari government spokeswoman told AFP. "Any charges of
impropriety by the State of Qatar are profoundly misguided."
He said, "The nation runs in complete accordance with international rules and norms." The Middle East is one of Ms Kaili's duties as vice president. She has previously stood up for Qatar.
She referred to Qatar as a "frontrunner in
labour rights" for eradicating kafala, a legal system that was employed in
multiple Gulf states and which human rights organisations have compared to
modern slavery, in a speech she gave last month promoting human rights during
the Fifa World Cup in Qatar.
She asserted that "the World Cup in Qatar is
proof in fact of how sports diplomacy can create a historical turnaround of a
nation with reforms that inspired the Arab world."
She asserted that certain MEPs had bullied and
discriminated against Qatar, saying that "they accuse everyone with whom
they interact or conduct business of corruption."
In the past, Qatar has been charged of corruption,
especially during its campaign to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The nation
refuted the accusations, and Fifa exonerated it of any wrongdoing.