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☆ EU Parliament Strips Former VP Eva Kaili of Immunity in Fraud Case
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Parliament on Tuesday afternoon stripped its former vice-president Eva Kaili of her immunity, clearing the way for an investigation of Kaili's alleged involvement in a 150,000 euro ($161,355) EU budget fraud case from 2015. The fraud case is unrelated to the corruption scandal dubbed Qatargate, in which the Greek politician is also involved. The report that was put to vote states that in the fraud case Kaili is accused of fraudulently spending between €120,000 and €150,000 of public money. The office of Kaili's lawyer, Spyros Pappas, did not immediately reply to a Reuters' request for comment but Pappas told news outlet Politico before the vote that he would take further legal action if Kaili's immunity were lifted. He told Politico that the notion that Kaili could serve prison time based on the outcome of the investigation is “at this stage rather premature and unsubstantiated”.

Persons: Eva Kaili, Kaili's, Spyros Pappas, Pappas, Charlotte Van Campenhout, Gerry Doyle Organizations: EU, Politico Locations: BRUSSELS

☆ Italian court agrees to extradite EU lawmaker to Belgium
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MILAN, May 16 (Reuters) - An Italian court on Tuesday agreed to extradite to Belgium an EU lawmaker under investigation in a cash-for-influence corruption scandal at the European Parliament, one of his lawyers said. Andrea Cozzolino, European parliamentarian for Italy's centre-left Democratic Party, has been under house arrest in the southern city of Naples since Feb. 10, after he was detained on the basis of a European warrant issued by Belgium. The 60-year-old lawmaker has denied any wrongdoing. A court in Naples ruled on Tuesday that Cozzolino could be sent to Belgium. Panzeri, who was arrested in Brussels in December, has agreed to cooperate with investigations in exchange for a reduced sentence.

☆ Belgium detains another EU lawmaker in graft investigation
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Belgian prosecutors investigating a corruption scandal that has hit the European Parliament carried out new searches on Friday and took in for questioning a lawmaker whose immunity from prosecution was waived last week. Federal prosecutors said in a statement that an EU member of parliament (MEP) it identified as "M.T. ", and whom a source close to the case said was Marc Tarabella, was detained early on Friday. The European Parliament last week waived the immunity of Tarabella and Italian Andrea Cozzolino, both of the centre-left Socialist and Democrats. Through their lawyers, both have denied wrongdoing and said they are ready to answer questions of Belgian authorities.

☆ European Parliament to waive immunity of two MEPs in corruption case
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( Charlotte Campenhout | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, Jan 2 (Reuters) - The European Parliament said on Monday it had begun a procedure to waive the immunity of two of its members after a request from Belgian judiciary investigating a European Union-Qatar corruption scandal. Two sources close to the investigation told Reuters the two MEPs were Belgian Marc Tarabella and Italian Andrea Cozzolino. "Following a request from the Belgian judicial authorities, I have launched an urgent procedure for the waiver of immunity of two members of the European Parliament," parliament president Roberta Metsola said on Twitter. In December, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters that Francesco Giorgi, one of the main suspects in the investigation along with his partner, ousted European Parliament vice-president Eva Kaili, confessed to taking bribes from Qatar to influence European Parliament decisions on Qatar. According to the sources, Giorgi, an EU parliamentary assistant, said he suspected Tarabella and Cozzolino had received money from Qatar.

☆ Factbox: The European Parliament's cash-for-influence scandal
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

BRUSSELS, Dec 21 (Reuters) - Belgian authorities have charged four people linked to the European Parliament over allegations World Cup host Qatar lavished them with cash and gifts to influence decision-making. RAIDS AND THE PROSECUTION CASEInvestigators searched 19 homes and the offices of the European Parliament in raids on Dec 9-12. Pier Antonio Panzeri - a former European Parliament member from Italy's centre-left and founder of non-profit pro-justice campaign group Fight Impunity. Belgium also submitted European arrest warrants for his wife and daughter in Italy. According to two sources with direct knowledge of the matter, Giorgi has confessed to taking bribes to influence European Parliament decisions and sought to exonerate his partner Kaili.

☆ 'Qatargate' scandal casts light on 'untouchable' EU lawmakers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Philip Blenkinsop | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

BRUSSELS, Dec 20 (Reuters) - As a corruption scandal rocks the European Parliament, lawmakers and campaign groups say a lack of asset declarations, little reporting on contacts with third countries and barely any sanctions created an environment where rule-breaking could go unpunished or undetected. Prosecutors suspect Greek member of the European Parliament (MEP) Eva Kaili and three others accepted bribes from recent soccer World Cup host Qatar in a bid to influence European Union policymaking. The case, widely dubbed "Qatargate" in the media, is one of the biggest scandals to hit the 27-nation bloc. They also urged the European Commission to put forward a proposal for an independent ethics body as soon as possible. ($1 = 0.9433 euros)Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; additional reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout; Editing by Hugh LawsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Italy agrees to transfer suspect in EU graft scandal to Belgium
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Emilio Parodi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Flavio Lo ScalzoBRESCIA, Italy, Dec 19 (Reuters) - An Italian court on Monday agreed to hand over to Belgian authorities a woman suspected of involvement in a Qatar graft scandal that has rocked the European Parliament. Angelo De Riso, a lawyer for Panzeri's wife and daughter, confirmed the decision to reporters outside the court. Qatar reiterated on Sunday that it had no involvement in the EU corruption scandal. A hearing to decide on the handover of Panzeri's daughter will take place on Tuesday before the same Brescia court. Two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters Giorgi confessed to his role in the graft scandal.

Poland withdrew last-minute objections to a global minimum corporate tax, unblocking a whole package of linked agreements that includes the loan to Ukraine, invaded by Russia almost 10 months ago. "The next six months will demand even greater efforts from us," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told the 27 EU leaders gathered in Brussels, asking them for more support from air defences to energy equipment. EU leaders also agreed a ninth package of sanctions against Russia for waging the war against Ukraine, diplomats said. The decision, which requires unanimity, came after EU Russia hawks Poland and Lithuania had warned that proposed exceptions for food security might in fact benefit Russian oligarchs in the fertilizer business. Poorer EU countries want a coordinated response and warned richer member states like Germany against supporting their industries without showing solidarity with the rest of the bloc.

BRUSSELS Dec 15 (Reuters) - Francesco Giorgi, the partner of ousted European Parliament vice-president Eva Kaili, has confessed his role in a Qatar graft scandal, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. Giorgi's confession to taking bribes from Qatar to influence European Parliament decisions on Qatar had made "a significant contribution" to the probe underway by Belgian investigating magistrates, one of the sources said. Greek MEP Kaili, who was ousted from her role as vice president of the European Parliament on Monday, has denied any wrongdoing through her lawyer. Tarabella, who had previously confirmed that his home was searched on Saturday as part of the Belgian investigation, has denied any wrongdoing. The European Parliament on Thursday suspended all work on legislation linked to Qatar, and parliament's president, Roberta Metsola, told EU leaders she would lead reforms to prevent a repeat of a criminal corruption scandal.

☆ EU leaders head for tussle over rescue plans for industry
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( John Chalmers | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed ahead of the summit to loosen state aid rules in renewable energy and clean-tech to shield European industry. "Some governments have deep pockets and extensive possibilities to support their industry through national schemes, others have not," said one senior EU diplomat. "We don't want a national subsidy race among member states ... but there have to be carefully drafted limits." This has been held up by disagreement over whether or how to offer exemptions for an EU ban on Russia fertiliser exports. A draft of the summit conclusions said leaders would call for more gas deals urgently to replace Russian fuel, including through joint gas buying among EU countries.

"We've been too naïve ... for far too long," a justice ministry spokesperson said, referring to what he called clandestine operations by foreign powers in Belgium. The other three suspects arrested and charged last week were meanwhile questioned, as planned, on Wednesday by a three-judge panel. Niccolo Figa-Talamanca, the secretary-general of a rule of law campaign group, will leave jail but wear an electronic ankle tag. The European Parliament on Tuesday voted to strip Kaili, a 44-year old Greek Socialist MEP, of her vice presidency role. Although no state was publicly named by prosecutors, a source with knowledge of the case said it was Qatar.

☆ It's no great surprise that the European Parliament has a corruption problem
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Belgian police said late last week that they had carried out raids and arrested four people in connection with an ongoing corruption probe into alleged payments and gifts from Qatar to members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and their staff. Kaili did not appear at a scheduled hearing on Wednesday, and was remanded in custody until she appears before a court on December 22, Belgium’s federal prosecutor’s office said Wednesday. Federal prosecutors confirmed a “large-scale investigation” was conducted into the alleged criminal activity, corruption, and money laundering activities within the European Parliament on Wednesday. Kaili, who has spoken in defense of Qatar in the European Parliament, traveled to Qatar shortly before the start of the soccer World Cup. While this scandal has rocked Brussels, the allegations have come as no great surprise to those who know the European institutions, especially the Parliament.

☆ EU's Borrell: European Parliament corruption probe is "very worrisome"
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, Dec 12 (Reuters) - A Belgian investigation into alleged corruption at the European Parliament is "very worrisome", European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Monday after raids and arrests linked to alleged money and gifts from Qatar. The European Parliament said at the weekend it had suspended the powers and duties of one of its vice presidents, Greek socialist Eva Kaili, in light of the Belgian investigation. "Certainly the news is very worrisome," Borrell told reporters as he arrived at a meeting of EU foreign ministers. "We are facing some events, some facts that certainly worries me as a former president of the European Parliament, also." The European Parliament was due to vote this week on a proposal to extend visa-free travel to the EU for Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Ecuador.

☆ Belgium charges four people in European Parliament corruption probe
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Philip Blenkinsop | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Prosecutors searched 16 houses and seized 600,000 euros ($631,800) in Brussels on Friday as part of an investigation into money laundering and corruption. The European Parliament said at the weekend it had suspended the powers and duties of one of its vice presidents, Greek socialist Eva Kaili, in light of the Belgian investigation. Belgian Socialist party member Marc Tarabella confirmed it was his home and that a computer and mobile phone had been taken. "If it were confirmed that someone took money to try to influence the opinion of the European Parliament, it will really be one of the most dramatic stories of corruption in recent years," he added. The European Parliament is due to vote this week on a proposal to extend visa-free travel to the EU for Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Ecuador.

CNN —Eva Kaili, one of the European Parliament’s vice presidents, has been expelled by her political party in Greece amid a corruption probe. In a statement, the prosecutor said that for two years, Belgian federal police inspectors “suspected a country from the Persian Gulf of influencing economic and political decisions of the European parliament,” according to RTBF. The Belgian police suspect that the country transferred “consequential sums of money” or “important gifts” to significant actors within the European Parliament, according to RTBF. The federal prosecutor did not identify the vice president but said they were one of four individuals taken in for questioning. Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates all surround the Persian Gulf.

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