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Post: Von der Leyen: Doubts about corruption in the European Parliament are “very serious”

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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday that allegations of corruption in the European Parliament were “very serious”.

“These doubts are very worrying. It is a question of trust in the people at the heart of our institutions. That trust includes very high standards of independence and integrity,” he said, noting that he had previously proposed the creation of the organization. “Independent body” on ethical issues in the EU institutions.

“serious allegations”

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Monday outlined the “dangerous accusations” against Eva Kyle, the Greek vice-president of the European Parliament, who was arrested in Brussels on Sunday on suspicion of corruption and money laundering, as “very disturbing”.

“This information is very worrying,” he said when he arrived to attend a meeting of EU foreign ministers. He explained that “an investigation is being carried out and we are following it”, given that “these allegations are very serious”.

Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney confirmed: “This is a scandal that we need to look into so it doesn’t happen again.” “A full and transparent investigation must be conducted to explain what happened,” he added.

Kyle’s assets are frozen.

On Monday, the head of Greece’s anti-money laundering authority, Charalambos Forliotis, announced the freezing of all Kyle’s assets on suspicion of his involvement in a corruption scandal involving the state of Qatar.

The official said that the procedure, which also affects people close to the European envoy who split from the Socialist Party of Greece (PASOK-Kinali) after the case, includes “bank accounts, treasury, companies and any other financial assets”.

Kyle was arrested in Brussels on Sunday on “corruption” charges, part of an investigation by a Belgian judge into large sums Qatar may have paid to influence decisions at a key European institution.

A judicial source confirmed to Agence France-Presse that Kyle, 44, and three other people were arrested by a judge in Brussels two days after their arrest, as part of an investigation into the actions of the 2022.

A judicial source explained that Kylie could not benefit from parliamentary immunity because she had been arrested for a “serious crime”.

A source confirmed media reports that Kyle had “bags full of notes” in the Socialist MEP’s apartment.

An apartment in the Belgian capital was searched on Friday night. The Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that the home of another Member of the European Parliament, Marc Tarabella of Belgium, was searched on Saturday night without any arrests.

European Parliament President Roberta Mezzola has returned to Brussels from Malta to support the federal police in searching Tarabella’s home, according to her spokesperson. He explained that the presence of the president is necessary in an investigation of this type, whose objective is a member of the European Parliament elected in Belgium “as required by the Belgian constitution”.

“unacceptable”

The European Commissioner for Economic Affairs, Paolo Gentiloni, said on Sunday that the alleged corruption case by Qatar, in which representatives of the European Parliament participated, seriously damages the reputation of the European institution.

“This is very serious damage to the reputation of the European Parliament,” Gentiloni said on the Italian television program “Rai”. This is a “disgraceful and unacceptable incident”.

And the Belgian press reported that former Italian MP Pier Antonio Panzieri, who now heads the anti-impunity NGO Fight for Independence, was arrested on Sunday.

Like Kyle, he was among six people arrested in Brussels on Friday after no fewer than 16 searches were carried out.

Two of the suspects were released and the other four arrested “on charges of belonging to a criminal organization, money laundering and corruption”.

And according to the Belgian newspaper Leko, the investigation involved Kyle’s father, who was caught carrying a large amount of cash in a “purse”.

Within the scope of the case, it is suspected that “significant sums of money were paid or large gifts were given to people who held political and/or strategic positions in the European Parliament, which allow them to influence its decisions”, said the indictment. ???????? said. Repeated on Sunday.

“Historic Change”

The incident comes amid the 2022 FIFA World Cup, when the host country faces criticism over human rights, particularly labor rights.

The case also arose on the eve of a plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, where relations between the EU and Qatar are expected to be discussed, among other issues.

Eva Keil, a 44-year-old former TV presenter who was elected Vice-President of the European Parliament in January 2022, visited Qatar in early November, where she paid tribute in the presence of Qatari Labor Minister Ali bin Samikh Al Casar, reforms implemented by the country in relation to working conditions.

The EU ambassador in Doha, Christian Tudor, wrote on Twitter that the meeting was positive.

“The organization of the World Cup by Qatar confirms the historic transformation of the country, whose reforms have inspired the Arab world”, said the European representative on November 22 from the rostrum of the European Parliament.

The announcement sparked controversy between the left and liberals and has been on the minds of many deputies since his arrest was announced.

“I’m afraid I just found out…” Pierre Karliskind, a French member of the European Parliament, said on Twitter on Saturday.

European Parliament President Roberta Mezzola called a meeting of group leaders in Strasbourg on Monday to discuss the Belgian judicial investigation, two parliamentary sources told AFP on Sunday.

MEPs from the Green bloc and the social-democratic bloc oppose the start of negotiations on increasing visas for Qataris to enter the European Union.

And Mizzola announced on Saturday that he had temporarily stripped his Greek deputy, Kyle, of his duties, including his representation in the Middle East.

Left-wing MEPs including Philip Lamberts, speaking on behalf of the green bloc, called for Kyle’s resignation, which the Socialist Party of Greece (Pasok Kinal) announced late on Friday.

French MEP Manon Aubry, co-chair of the left-wing bloc, called on Kyle to step down as vice-president on Monday to allow for a full parliamentary debate and an internal parliamentary investigation into the matter.

“What this case has shown is the need to clean house and significantly improve ethics…” he wrote on Twitter on Sunday.

Source: EuroNews

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