A Greek lawmaker charged in reference to a corruption scheme involving Qatar will stay in detention after her courtroom listening to was postponed Wednesday.
European Parliament Vice President Eva Kaili was slated to seem earlier than a decide in Brussels alongside three different folks. Her lawyer, André Risopoulos, stated her listening to was rescheduled to Dec. 22.
Kaili is accused of accepting bribes to affect European coverage in favor of the Qatari regime. She was taken into police custody after investigators raided her dwelling and stated they discovered “baggage of money.”
Two suspects, together with Kaili’s accomplice, Francesco Giorgi, who’s a parliamentary adviser, and Pier Antonio Panzeri, a former Parliament member and the founding father of a non-profit marketing campaign group, had been stored in preventive detention Wednesday after their courtroom listening to.
QATAR DENIES REPORT IT COLLUDED WITH IRAN TO STIFLE DISSENT AT WORLD CUP
Greek politician and European Parliament Vice President Eva Kaili speaks in the course of the European Guide Prize award ceremony in Brussels, Dec. 7, 2022. The European Union’s high official stated Monday that the allegations of corruption focusing on a vp of the European Parliament are of “utmost concern” and referred to as for the creation of an impartial ethics physique protecting all of the bloc’s establishments.
(AP)
Police have carried out greater than 20 raids, principally in Belgium but additionally in Italy, as a part of a probe into alleged bribery for political favors. Prosecutors stated in a press release they think that individuals “in political and/or strategic positions throughout the European Parliament had been paid giant sums of cash or provided substantial items to affect Parliament’s selections.”
Authorities haven’t recognized the Gulf nation suspected of providing money or items to European Parliament officers, however a number of members have linked the investigation to Qatar, which is within the midst of internet hosting the FIFA World Cup.
“The State of Qatar categorically rejects any makes an attempt to affiliate it with accusations of misconduct. Any affiliation of the Qatari authorities with the reported claims is baseless and gravely misinformed,” an official with the Qatari Embassy in Washington, D.C., beforehand instructed Fox Information Digital.
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Cross stated relations between the European Union and any nation implicated within the alleged bribery scheme might be affected.
On this picture supplied by the Belgian Federal Judicial Police on Wednesday, a portion of the 1.5 million euro {dollars} discovered and seized by Belgian police in Brussels.
(AP)
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“Making an attempt to affect our decision-making with bribery, if that might be confirmed that it’s the case, that it’s associated to sure international locations, I’d not see how it will not have penalties within the relation,” he stated. “To start with, the error is with the individuals that allow themselves be bribed. Let’s be clear on that. However it’s not solely them. There’s all the time two sides to this.”
The Related Press contributed to this report.
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