European Parliament suspends its vice president arrested on suspicion of corruption

European Union

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Among the annulled powers, they highlighted her role as president of the working group on the Innovation Strategy for Information and Communication Technologies or substitute for Presidency for multilateral bodiesin particular United Nations and the World Trade Organization.

Prior to this announcement, Metsola had already assured this Saturday that the European Parliament had “fully cooperated” with the relevant police and legal authorities in relation to a possible case of bribery. “Our European Parliament stands firm once morest corruption. At this stagewe cannot comment on any ongoing investigationexcept confirming that we have fully cooperated with all relevant law enforcement and legal authorities and will continue to do so,” he tweeted. the head of the European legislative chamber, who stated that she will do “everything possible” so that justice follows its course.

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The announcement of Kaili’s suspensionone of the vice-presidents of the European Parliament, It came a day following she was arrested in Brussels on suspicion of corruption involving Qatar. The Socialist MEP is a partner of one of the four suspects arrested a few hours earlier by the Belgian prosecutor’s office for the same case.

The prosecution reported the arrests – which include a former Italian MEP – following finding 600,000 euros in cash in 16 operations in Brussels, in the framework of an investigation into an “alleged criminal organization of corruption and money laundering”. They suspect that “a Gulf State” influenced “the economic and political decisions of the European Parliament” Through the payment of “substantial sums or offering significant gifts”.

The beneficiaries of these favors would have been people with “an important political and/or strategic position” inside the hemicycle. The prosecution avoided identifying the country, though a source close to the case confirmed that it is Qatar. He also did not identify the detained former MEP, but the Belgian press points tothe Italian socialist Pier-Antonio Panzeriwho held a seat in the European Parliament between 2004 and 2019.