EU corruption scandal: Kaili remains in custody

Kaili, the ex-vice-president of the European Parliament who is suspected of corruption, remains in prison. The responsible court in Brussels has extended the Greek woman’s detention by one month, the public prosecutor said.

The former Vice-President of the European Parliament, Eva Kaili, who is allegedly involved in one of the biggest corruption scandals in the EU, remains in custody. According to the public prosecutor’s office in Brussels, the responsible court extended the measure by one month. The 44-year-old Greek woman can appeal the decision.

The Belgian judiciary has been investigating suspected corruption, money laundering and influence from abroad for months in the vicinity of the European Parliament. It is said that the Gulf Emirate of Qatar is said to have tried to influence political decisions with gifts of money and goods. According to reports, Morocco tried to do the same.

Also partner and ex-MP still in custody

Kaili and three other suspects were therefore taken into custody on December 11. They are charged with involvement in a criminal organization, money laundering and corruption. A magistrate ruled last week that two of them must remain in prison while they are being held on remand. These are Kaili’s partner, who works as an MEP’s assistant, and former Socialist MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri. Another suspect was allowed out of prison with the condition of an ankle bracelet.

Kaili’s lawyers also wanted to achieve this for their client. “Eva Kaili is innocent,” her lawyer Michalis Dimitrakopoulos told the Brussels court. Kaili said there was no risk of absconding, nor was it possible for her to destroy evidence. Another argument is that Kailis’ two-year-old daughter is now effectively an orphan because both parents are imprisoned. According to Greek media reports, the child is with his grandfather, the suspect’s father.

Kaili blames her partner

The day before, Kaili’s lawyer told Greek journalists that the former TV presenter was in poor mental health. She feels betrayed by her partner, Dimitrakopoulos said after speaking to Kaili for several hours in prison. “She trusted him, he betrayed her.”

Kaili herself has so far denied any guilt and blamed her partner for the large amount of cash that was seized in the shared apartment. At the same time, however, according to her lawyer, she admitted, among other things, that she had instructed her father on the day of the raid to bring cash from her apartment to a Brussels hotel.

Confiscations in Greece

Meanwhile, Greek authorities confiscated a piece of property belonging to MPs and their partner on the Greek island of Paros.

In addition, the country’s financial prosecutor froze a joint bank account held by the couple in Greece, which had been used to purchase the property. The Greek anti-money laundering authority announced last week that it would freeze all of Kailis’ assets.