Bags of cash seized at Brussels home of former PASOK-KINAL MEP Eva Kaili, say Belgian media

Former PASOK-KINAL MEP Eva Kaili and another four people were detained for questioning in the context of investigations against financial corruption and home raids carried out by Belgian authorities on Friday, it was reported on Saturday.

The investigation was pursued in Brussels by the Belgian Anti-Corruption Bureau in relation to illegal financing within the European Parliament by Qatari officials, said Belgian media.

At least 17 home raids were carried out across the city of Brussels, among them Kaili’s, who was detained overnight after bags filled with cash were discovered in her residence, Belgian media added, while Kaili’s father was caught in the act of attempting to flee with a suitcase of cash, news outlets also alleged.

Eva Kaili and the other four individuals are being held for 48 hours until a judge can decide on issuing arrest warrants, it was added, as charges have not yet been officially read to them, as they are still treated as being innocent, it was underlined.

Although the Belgian federal prosecutor’s office has not so far officially confirmed the names of those arrested, it emphasized that these are individuals with strategic positions, it was reported.

According to information obtained by Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA), the other four people arrested are Kaili’s partner, Francesco Giorgi, formerly an associate of former socialist MEP (2004-2019) Pier Antonio Pancheri – also arrested.

Another arrestee is the newly appointed general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), Luca Vincentini, who, for 11 years, was the head of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). The fifth person is Nicolo Figa Talamanca, director of the NGO ‘No Peace Without Justice’.

Furthermore in relation to this story, it was also reported by Belgian media that the wife and daughter of the former Italian MEP Pier Antonio Pancheri were arrested on Friday in Bergamo, Italy. Pancheri was also the founder of one of the NGOs probed by Belgian police, ‘Fight Impunity’. The amount of 600,000 euros in cash was found in Pancheri’s Brussels home, according to Belgian media.

It also became known that Belgian authorities searched and then sealed the homes and offices of associates of two Belgian MEPs after seizing computers and other electronic devices.

Finally, in the Belgian federal prosecutor’s office announcement it was stated that actions instigated by Qatar are in the center of the authorities’ investigation, where the FIFA World Cup 2022 is currently being held.