Who is Eva Kaili, the vice president of the European Parliament accused of being corrupted by Qatar?

He is one of the main figures in the investigation into alleged corruption within the European Parliament, revealed by the Belgian newspaper The evening. Eva Kaili, a 44-year-old Greek elected representative, was suspended from his post as Vice-President of the European Parliament Saturday 10 December, and taken into custody the following day, as part of an investigation opened by the Belgian federal prosecutor’s office for facts of corruption” and ” money laundering” in an organized gang. Six other people including his companion, the Italian Francesco Giorgiformer parliamentary assistant specializing in human rights and foreign affairs, were jailed.

Caught in the act

During his arrestEva Kaili could not benefit from the parliamentary immunity normally conferred by her status as vice president, because she would have been taken.” in the deed” facts of which he was accused. On Friday 9 December it was the father who was arrested by the authorities as he left his daughter’s house armeda suitcase full of cash. Another sum, unknown for the moment, was also found at the parliamentarian’s house during the search. €600,000 in cash was found at the home of former Italian MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri.

The Greek rocket

An architecture graduate, television presenter in Greece from 2004 to 2007, then elected to the Greek parliament at just 29 before becoming a MEP at 36, Eva Kaili’s political career had the speed and trajectory of a rocket. But her term as Vice-President of the European Parliament, to which she was elected in January 2022it was short-lived. Who sat in the European Socialist and Democratic Group (S&D), was also part of the delegation tasked with developing the European Union’s relations with the Arabian Peninsula. It is in the context of these functions that he allegedly maintained relations based on corruption with Qatar.

“Qatar is a leader in workers’ rights”

In light of recent events, Eva Kaili’s latest speeches to MEPs have a different tone: “Today the FIFA World Cup in Qatar is concrete proof of how sports diplomacy can bring about a historic transformation in a country whose reforms have inspired the Arab world”he said on the podium of the European Parliament on 22 November. “Qatar is a leader in workers’ rights”he also said. Astounding words, while Qatar, host country of the 2022 World Cup, is accused of being responsible for the deaths of thousands of illegal workers, exploited on construction sites around the world. Not to mention the persecution of the LGBTQI+ community, demonstrated in particular by the human rights organization Human Rights Watch, and the contempt for women’s rights.

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