Eva Kaili: European Parliament VP expelled by party amid corruption probe involving Gulf nation
CNN
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Eva Kaili, one of the vice-presidents of the European Parliament, has been expelled by her political party in Greece amid a corruption investigation.
The Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), one of Greece’s main opposition parties, said in a statement on Friday: “Following the latest developments and the Belgian authorities’ investigation into corruption, corruption of European officials, MEP Eva Kaili was expelled from PASOK-Movement for Change by the decision of President Nikos Androulakis.”
Kaili’s political group in the European Parliament, the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, also announced on Friday that it would suspend Kaili from the group with immediate effect “in response to the The investigation is ongoing.”
This comes as Belgium’s federal prosecutor confirmed to Belgian public service broadcaster RTBF on Friday that one of the 14 vice-presidents of parliament had been arrested for questioning as part of the investigation. investigating corruption involving the European Parliament and a country from the Persian Gulf.
In a statement, the prosecutor said that for two years, Belgian federal police inspectors “suspected a country from the Persian Gulf to influence the economic and political decisions of the European parliament, ” according to RTBF.
According to RTBF, Belgian police suspect the country has transferred “important funds” or “important gifts” to important figures in the European Parliament.
Federal prosecutors did not identify the vice president but said they were one of four individuals questioned.
“Among those arrested (was) an elderly European MP,” the prosecutor said.
Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates all surround the Persian Gulf.
According to RTBF, searches carried out as part of the investigation resulted in the seizure of about 600,000 euros ($632,000) in cash. Computer and phone documents were also seized during 16 searches that took place in the Belgian regions of Ixelles, Schaerbeek, Crainhem, Forest and Brussels.
