The vice president of the European Parliament arrested in a corruption investigation in Qatar

The Belgian authorities suspect that “a Gulf state” has bribed assistants to MEPs. The Belgian weekly reports it Skills a newspaper The evening Friday. According to Belgian media, the investigation concerns Qatar, but OM does not want to confirm this.

The Belgian public prosecutor confirmed to the ANP news agency that the police carried out sixteen house searches on Friday. During the house searches, four people were arrested for questioning and the police confiscated computers, telephones and around €600,000 in cash. One of those taken is Eva Kaili, one of the 14 vice-presidents of the European Parliament and a member of the Socialists and Democrats (S&D). The PvdA is affiliated with this group on behalf of the Netherlands.

The investigation, which has been taking place since July, concerns “alleged corruption, criminal organization and money laundering” within the European Parliament. A spokesman for the federal prosecutor’s office told Knack that the investigators suspect “a Gulf state” of “trying to influence the economic and political decisions of the European Parliament”. This was allegedly done, among other things, by paying “large sums of money” or offering “large gifts” to people who hold important positions in the European Parliament.