MEP Eva Kaili’s pre-trial hearing in corruption scandal postponed

Eva Kaili, the MEP suspected of accepting giant sums of cash to foyer in favour of Qatar, didn’t seem as anticipated at a pre-trial listening to on Wednesday in Brussels.

The Greek MEP is amongst 4 individuals charged with taking part in a felony organisation, corruption and cash laundering that had been as a consequence of seem in entrance of a choose.

The Federal Prosecutor’s Workplace confirmed that Kaili requested a postponement and that she’s going to as a substitute be heard on 22 December.

It additionally introduced that “the pre-council chamber confirmed the pre-trial detention” of Kaili’s accomplice, Francesco Giorgi, and former Italian MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri.

Niccolò Figà-Talamanca, secretary-general of No Peace With out Justice, in the meantime “stays in custody however underneath the phrases of the digital bracelet.”

The press was not allowed contained in the listening to on the Palais de Justice, leaving reporters to assemble exterior the courtroom.

Kaili and the three different suspects had been arrested as a part of a “main investigation” launched by Belgian police right into a suspected operation to affect the European Parliament’s decision-making that concerned “giant sums of cash” and “substantial presents.”

Two different suspects detained over the weekend by Belgian police have been launched.

Considered one of them, the prosecutor’s workplace confirmed, was Luca Visentini, normal secretary of the Worldwide Commerce Union Confederation (ITUC).

Kaili’s title as European Parliament vice chairman was revoked on Tuesday by her personal colleagues, in an awesome present of repudiation with 625 votes in favour and only one towards.

Her belongings have been frozen by Greek authorities.

The MEP’s lawyer in Greece, Michalis Dimitrakopoulos, has mentioned his consumer is harmless and has “nothing to do with bribery from Qatar.” 

Since Kaili’s surprising arrest on Friday, during which she was reportedly caught within the act, Belgian police have performed over 20 searches and seized greater than €1.5 million in money.

Police have additionally “frozen” the IT sources of ten members of the European Parliament workers in an effort to stop the disappearance of key knowledge that could be helpful for the investigation.

A number of parliamentary workplaces in each Brussels and Strasbourg, together with Kaili’s, stay sealed.

Searches have additionally been performed in Italy, the place Panzeri’s spouse, Maria Dolores Colleoni, and his daughter, Silvia Panzeri, reside.

Belgium is looking for the extradition of each ladies, Italian information company ANSA has reported.

Because the corruption scandal continues to ship shockwaves, scrutiny has elevated on the S&D group, the political household during which Kaili sat as a socialist MEP.

The S&D management has ordered a number of of its members to step down from key legislative recordsdata whereas the investigation is ongoing. 

Though Kaili was ousted from the S&D and her position as vice-president, she’s going to in the interim preserve her title of Member of the European Parliament.

Revoking the standing of a democratically-elected consultant can solely be performed via nationwide laws – on this case, Greek legislation.

In the meantime, the Qatari authorities has distanced itself from Kaili and the following political storm.

“Any affiliation of the Qatari authorities with the reported claims is baseless and gravely misinformed,” the Qatari Mission to the European Union mentioned in an announcement.

This text has been up to date to incorporate new developments.