Greek assets frozen by MP

European Parliament Vice-President Eva Kaili, arrested on corruption charges, continues to face pressure. In her native Greece, the anti-money laundering authority froze all of the 44-year-old’s assets on Monday. At the same time, talks in Strasbourg on her removal as vice-president continued. Kaili is suspected of taking money to influence political decisions for World Cup host country Qatar. You had already relieved the Speaker of Parliament Roberta Metsola of her vice-president duties.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock spoke on Monday of an “incredible incident” in Brussels. “Now he must be acquitted without ifs and buts with all the severity of the law”.

Kaili may be discontinued by this week

The leadership of the Social Democrats, of which Kaili was a member of parliament, had already announced that the former TV presenter should be replaced in the vice presidency. The so-called Conference of Presidents, in which Metsola and the presidents of the parliamentary groups sit, must first decide on this request. The plenary session of the Parliament must therefore agree with a two-thirds majority.

Parliament met on Monday in Strasbourg for the last plenary week of the year. Metsola was expected to comment on the recent revelations at the start of the prime-time meeting. An informal meeting of the Conference of Presidents was already scheduled for Monday afternoon, which will be followed by a formal meeting on Tuesday, according to parliamentary circles. Kaili could therefore be abandoned within this week. The Social Democrats have already suspended their membership of the parliamentary group.

Kaili is one of six suspects arrested by Belgian authorities since Friday in the corruption scandal. Four of them were arrested on Sunday, including Kaili herself and her boyfriend, according to information from the German Press Agency and other media.

As Greek media unanimously reported on Monday, the head of the national anti-money laundering agency, Charalambos Vourliotis, had Kaili’s assets frozen due to the investigation. The same goes for his parents, his sister and his partner, who was also arrested. Accounts, real estate holdings, corporate holdings and similar assets would be examined.

Kaili is said to have received large sums of money or gifts from Qatar

The prosecutor accuses Kaili and the other suspects of influencing the decisions of the European Parliament in favor of the Gulf Emirate of Qatar. In return, they are said to have received consideration such as large sums of money or gifts in kind. At the EU level, for example, easing visa rules for Qatari nationals is currently being considered.

In the EU Parliament, Green MP Erik Marquardt is responsible for the matter. He told dpa on Monday that Kaili had recently sought contact with him about the matter. It was important to her that the decision was taken quickly and that so many conditions were not placed on Qatar. Kaili herself is not a responsible house committee member, but she voted on the matter on Dec. 1.

According to statements by colleagues in the group, this was not coordinated with the group. Since Kaili is a deputy member of the parliamentary delegation for the Arabian Peninsula, Marquardt said he wasn’t surprised by her interest in him.

He wants the committee’s position on visa liberalization to be reviewed again. At best, the matter should be referred back to committee, Marquardt said.

For his parliamentary group leader, Terry Reintke, it is crucial that Parliament now reacts to the scandal in unison. “The damage has been done to the entire European Parliament, so the democratic and pro-European part of the Parliament must react very clearly,” Reintke told DPA in Brussels on Monday. The details have yet to be agreed with the other groups, but according to them a commission of inquiry would be important.

RND/dpa