The former Vice President of the European Parliament, Eva Kaili, who is suspected of corruption, was released in mid-April after almost four months. Since then she has been under house arrest with electronic surveillance. In addition to the allegations of corruption, money laundering and membership in a criminal organization, however, separate criminal investigations are underway against the Greek politician. The news portal “Politico” says it has seen documents that give a previously denied insight into the investigation. According to a letter from the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) to Parliament President Roberta Metsola, there are three possible fraudulent acts by Kaili. It is being investigated whether, between 2014 and 2020, she misled Parliament about the presence and work of four of her former assistants and whether she unlawfully accepted reimbursements for “fake” missions she staged. The investigators are also checking whether the former EU Vice-President received “repayments” from the salaries of her assistants and the fake expenses.
“Politico” quotes the European Attorney General Laura Kövesi from the letter that was sent to the EU Parliament shortly after the arrest of Kaili and other suspected politicians in December, but has not yet been made public: “The ongoing investigations relate to the urgent Suspicion of repeated fraud and/or other serious irregularities.” The investigative authority EPPO did not want to comment on the case when asked by the news portal. In addition to the accused Kaili, the investigations, which are not related to the “Qatargate” affair, are also directed against the Greek MEP Maria Spyraki. She is accused of misleading the institution about the activities of two of her former assistants and ordering them to submit expenses for fake missions. However, Spyraki will not be associated with bribes or accepting false refunds. The Christian Democrat insists that she has nothing to do with the Kaili corruption scandal.
The public prosecutor is demanding that the immunity of the two politicians be lifted. However, Kaili resists this and, according to her lawyer, plans to take part in the meetings of the European Parliament again after the end of the legal process. The Legal Affairs Committee of the European Parliament will discuss the Kaili case and the waiver of her immunity for the first time this Tuesday (April 25) behind closed doors.
The immunity of Belgian MEP Marc Tarabella and Italian Andrea Cozzolino has already been lifted to investigate the EU corruption scandal.
Sources: Politico, with material from the dpa
