EU corruption scandal: MEP denies Qatar bribery after over €1m seized

Greek MEP Eva Kaili has denied engagement successful an alleged bribery ungraded involving World Cup big Qatar astatine the European Parliament.

She is 1 of 4 suspects charged, aft Belgian investigators recovered ample sums successful currency successful homes and a suitcase.

MEPs person voted - by 625 to 1 - to portion Ms Kaili of her relation arsenic 1 of its 14 vice-presidents.

Parliament person Roberta Metsola has spoken of "difficult days for European democracy".

Qatar has denied immoderate wrongdoing.

"[Eva Kaili] declares her innocence and that she has thing to bash with bribery from Qatar," her lawyer Michalis Dimitrakopoulos told Greek TV connected Tuesday.

Prosecutors carried retired a drawstring of searches implicit respective days and said currency worthy astir €600,000 ($632,000; £515,000) had been recovered astatine the location of 1 suspect, €150,000 astatine the level of an MEP and respective 100 1000 euros successful a suitcase successful a Brussels edifice room.

Computers and mobile phones were besides taken.

Asked if wealth had been recovered astatine Ms Kaili's apartment, her lawyer said: "I person nary thought if immoderate wealth was recovered oregon however overmuch was found."

The suspects arrested by Belgian constabulary person been charged with "participation successful a transgression organisation, wealth laundering and corruption", prosecutors said connected Sunday. They volition look earlier a pre-trial tribunal connected Wednesday.

The 3 others are each thought to beryllium Italians, including Pier Antonio Panzeri, an Italian erstwhile MEP who present runs a quality rights group.

The allegations person formed a shadiness implicit the relation of lobbying groups astatine the European Parliament. A proposal to let visa-free question to the EU for Qataris was acceptable to beryllium voted connected by MEPs this week but has present been shelved.

Searches person taken spot successful Italy arsenic good arsenic successful Brussels. Since Friday, the IT resources of 10 parliamentary employees person been "frozen" to forestall the disappearance of information indispensable for the investigation.

Parliament, sitting successful Strasbourg, voted overwhelmingly connected Tuesday to portion Ms Kaili of her relation arsenic vice-president.

She has besides been suspended from the parliament's Socialists and Democrats Group and expelled from the Greek centre-left Pasok party.

Greek authorities person frozen assets belonging to her, her hubby and contiguous household members.

The activities of a spot institution acceptable up astir 2 weeks agone by the MEP and her hubby successful Athens person besides been frozen.

Six radical were detained connected Friday arsenic portion of the probe into allegations that Qatar bribed EU officials to triumph influence. Two were aboriginal released.

The 3 others accused are each Italian citizens. Ms Kaili's spouse Francesco Giorgi, who is simply a parliamentary assistant, is among those reportedly charged.

Former MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, who present runs quality rights radical Fight Impunity, is besides among the four, sources say. His woman and girl were besides reportedly arrested.

The different suspect, according to Italian quality bureau Ansa, is Niccolò Figa-Talamanca, who runs lobby radical No Peace Without Justice.

The caput of the wide caput of the International Trade Union Confederation, Luca Visentini, was questioned and aboriginal released. He said aboriginal helium had been capable to reply each questions enactment to him.

BBC Brussels analogous Jessica Parker says details released by Belgian authorities successful the past fewer days near galore people's jaws connected the level successful EU circles.

MEPs who spoke to our analogous accidental they are shocked by some the standard and blatancy of the accusations.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the accusations were "very serious" and called for the instauration of a caller morals assemblage to oversee the bloc.

Ms Metsola vowed to MEPs that the parliament's integrity would beryllium restored.

"European ideology is nether onslaught and our escaped and antiauthoritarian societies are nether attack," she said.

Watchdogs and MEPs said the bribery probe could correspond 1 of the biggest corruption scandals successful the parliament's history.

Prosecutors said they suspected a Gulf authorities had been influencing economical and governmental decisions of the parliament for respective months, particularly by targeting aides.

Local media has named the authorities arsenic Qatar, though the Qatari authorities said immoderate claims of misconduct were "gravely misinformed".

Ms Kaili's responsibilities arsenic vice-president included the Middle East. She has been a defender of Qatar successful the past.

Green MEP Daniel Freund, who heads a cross-party anti-corruption group, told the BBC that the Parliament had "reasonably bully lobby transparency rules" but that 3rd countries similar Qatar were excluded from them: "So I deliberation these 3rd countries should spell connected the lobby register."

The European Parliament is the EU's lone straight elected institution. Some 705 members of parliament, elected by voters successful the 27 nations which marque up the EU, conscionable to scrutinise projected authorities and ballot done European law.

MEPs mostly bask immunity from prosecution, but not successful cases wherever "a subordinate is recovered successful the enactment of committing an offence", the parliament says.