Eva Kaili, the previous Vice President of the European Parliament, emphasizes that the large amount of cash in her Brussels apartment belonged neither to her nor to her partner, but to a third party.
In the corruption scandal surrounding the European Parliament, the Belgian police have so far confiscated almost 1.5 million euros during house searches in the Brussels region. This was announced by the Belgian federal police on Twitter on Wednesday. EU politician Eva Kaili, who is suspected of corruption, said the large amount of cash in her Brussels apartment belonged neither to her nor to her partner, but to a third party, as one of her lawyers said on Wednesday evening.
The decision on Kaili’s continued custody has been postponed to Thursday next week. The reason for this is a strike in the prison where Kaili is being held, as her lawyer André Risopoulos told the Belgian newspaper “L’Echo” on Wednesday. That is why she could not be taken to the Brussels Palace of Justice. Kaili remains in custody for the time being.
The 44-year-old Greek woman Kaili is one of six suspects who have been arrested in Belgium since Friday in the corruption scandal involving the European Parliament. The Belgian judiciary issued arrest warrants against her and three others on Sunday. They are accused of involvement in a criminal organization, money laundering and corruption. It is said that the Gulf Emirate of Qatar, which is currently hosting the soccer World Cup, tried to influence political decisions in the European Parliament with gifts of money and goods.
The Belgian public prosecutor’s office announced on Wednesday that two suspects remain in prison for the time being following a court decision. Pre-trial detention against them was confirmed on Wednesday. A third suspect remains “also in custody, but on condition that he wears an electronic tag.”
Kaili maintains her innocence
According to the announcement, the two suspects who remain in prison are FG and PP. These are Kaili’s friend, who works as an assistant to a member of the European Parliament, and former Social Democrat MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri. Kaili has since been removed as Vice President of the European Parliament. Through her lawyer, she protested her innocence.
One of her lawyers, Michalis Dimitrakopoulos, told Greek TV channel Skai on Wednesday evening: “Ms. Kaili asked her partner what the money was.” The partner replied that the money belonged to someone else. “Following this, Ms. Kaili said she would not allow funds belonging to anyone else to be kept in the shared apartment.” For this reason, Kaili’s father took the bag with money and made his way to a hotel, where the unnamed recipient should have turned up.
According to the information, Kaili wants to plead not guilty. Dimitrakopoulos revealed part of the strategy in an interview with another Greek broadcaster: “Countries like Qatar, Kuwait or Oman had no reason to give Ms Kaili money because she had nothing to offer them,” he said. You give money if you get something in return. Ms. Kaili, however, only implemented the policies of the EU Parliament, he told the Open TV channel on Wednesday evening.
(APA/dpa)