The vote was over in a minute, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. It was 12:16 p.m. this Tuesday, Parliament President Roberta Metsola called for a vote on her Vice President Eva Kaili: removal from office for “grave misconduct” under Article 21 of the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament. The parliamentary group leaders unanimously approved the proposal in the morning; a two-thirds majority is required in the plenum. There was only one dissenting vote. Nobody can take away her seat in parliament, but the Greek is now rid of her post – a first step on the long road to dealing with this corruption scandal.
Eva Kaili had refused to give up her position. She had her lawyer spread in Greece that she had nothing to do with the alleged money flows from Qatar. According to consistent media reports, investigators found large amounts of cash in her apartment; in Greece it was reported that 160,000 euros were found under the cradle of Kailis’ little daughter alone. Her father was also apparently stopped by investigators in Brussels, he should probably bring cash in a suitcase to safety.
Kaili is one of six suspects arrested by Belgian authorities since Friday in the corruption scandal. Four of them were taken into custody on Sunday, including the 44-year-old parliamentarian, her partner and former MEP Antonio Panzeri, who is considered the mastermind behind the affair. It is about corruption and money laundering with the presumed goal of influencing decisions of the European Parliament in favor of the Emirate of Qatar. On Monday afternoon, when MPs and employees traveled to Strasbourg for the plenary week, investigators arrived at the Brussels seat of the European Parliament. They secured data carriers in suspects’ offices.
“European democracy is under attack.”
In a speech to Parliament on Monday, Roberta Metsola promised complete clarification. In the face of the revelations, she spoke of anger, rage and grief. “The European Parliament, ladies and gentlemen, is under attack, European democracy is under attack, and our kind of open, free, democratic societies are under attack.”
The European Parliament will probably set up its own committee of inquiry to investigate the affair – when is still being debated. The EPP group leader Manfred Weber advised to let the Belgian public prosecutor’s office do their job first. The Socialist Group decided to temporarily suspend Belgian Marc Tarabella as long as the allegations against him are not clarified. Investigators also searched his home. Socialist MPs whose employees are being targeted by the public prosecutor’s office must have their parliamentary offices suspended. The Belgian Maria Arena and the Italians Pietro Bartolo and Andrea Cozzolino are affected.