EU-Qatar graft scandal uncovered by year-long, pan-Europe probe, Belgium says

Prosecutors accuse Eva Kaili, Greek MEP, and three others of accepting bribes from World Cup hosts Qatar in an attempt to influence European Union policymaking. This is one of the most scandalous cases to have hit the 27-nation bloc.

Qatari and Kaili deny any wrongdoing.

A spokesperson for the justice ministry said that "We've just been too ignorant... for too long" in reference to what he called clandestine operations carried out by foreign powers in Belgium.

"We are now better equipped against this."

According to the spokesperson, this investigation was "a major case in which State Security worked for over a year with foreign intelligence services to list suspicions about corruption of MEPs from different countries".

The Belgian police posted an image of 1.5 million euros worth of cash that it recovered from raids between Friday and Monday. It included a suitcase stuffed with 100 and 50 euro banknotes, and two briefcases stacked with 50 euro bills.

Italian investigators are currently looking into seven suspect bank accounts, according to a source. They also found 20,000 euros of cash in a house belonging a single suspect. The source also said that they searched a Milan office.

DETENTION

Kaili is currently in detention after her arrest last Wednesday. A source close to the investigation stated that she will find out on 22 December whether she will remain behind bars during the investigation.

Michalis Dimitrakopoulos her lawyer, says Kaili insists that she did not have anything to do with the cash found by police.

Dimitrakopoulos stated that she had met with her Brussels lawyer and requested a postponement to allow for preparations.

The three other suspects were arrested last week and charged. They were then questioned by a panel of three judges on Wednesday (14 December).

Francesco Giorgi, Kaili's partner and parliamentary assistant, will remain in detention. Pier Antonio Panzeri (ex-MEP, founder of a non profit campaign group), will also stay in detention.

Niccolo Figa–Talamanca is the secretary-general for a rule-of-law campaign group. He will be released from jail, but will wear an electronic ankle tag.

They may appeal against the decision.

'DAMAGING'

Reuters was unable to reach Giorgi and Figa-Talamanca Panzeri, or their lawyers for comment. They did not respond to email requests for comment from the non-profit organizations they worked with.

On Tuesday (13 December), the European Parliament voted to remove Kaili (a 44-year-old Greek Socialist MEP) from her vice presidency position. She has been asked by lawmakers to leave the assembly.

Eric Van Duyse spoke on Tuesday for the Belgian federal public prosecutor's Office. He said that "this case is even more sensitive, and important, as it touches upon the heart of European democracy."

Prosecutors did not publicly name any state, but a source familiar with the matter said that it was Qatar.

"It's very damaging, I believe, for all politicians that have been trying so hard to show us that we make our decisions based upon the values that we share," Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said at a summit held in Brussels.

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