Qatar had no need to bribe socialist MEP Eva Kaili as the latter was implementing a wider EU plan and was getting orders from EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola, Kaili’s lawyer Michalis Dimitrakopoulos alleged on Tuesday.
Metsola’s office told EURACTIV that the president gave instructions on how to represent the institution’s position and “nothing else”.
Last Friday, Greek MEP Eva Kaili, her partner Francesco Giorgi, and ex-MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, president of the NGO Fight Against Impunity, were arrested by the Belgian police on suspicion of corruption.
On a political level, with an overwhelming majority, the EU House sacked her yesterday from the vice presidency.
Kaili removed as EU Parliament VP following corruption scandal
In an almost unanimous vote, EU lawmakers removed Eva Kaili as vice president of the European Parliament on Tuesday (13 December), following the so-called Qatargate, one of the biggest corruption scandals in the EU’s history.
On Thursday, Belgian courts will decide whether she will remain in jail until the adjudication of the case.
In an interview with Greek MEGA TV channel, Dimitrakopoulos said Kaili has nothing to do with bribery from Qatar.
“What the public opinion needs to know is that Qatar did not need to bribe Ms Kaili because she went to Qatar as a representative of the European Parliament, the speeches, the interviews she gave were after the agreement and order of the President Roberta Metsola,” Dimitrakopoulos said.
He added that documents prove this and explained that Kaili did not take any initiative or have an agenda.
“Ms Metsola sent her to Qatar, what she was going to say had Ms Metsola’s approval […] Ms Metsola had also sent EU official Mr Roberto Bendini with her to watch all of Ms Kaili’s meetings”, he explained.
“I am telling you the words of Ms Kaili, she was carrying out a plan that had started in 2019, High Representative Josep Borrell and Ylva Johansson [Commissioner for Home Affairs] had decided at the Commission level, to cooperate with Qatar, Kuwait and Oman,” the lawyer added.
What Metsola says
EURACTIV contacted Metsola’s office for a comment.
A spokesperson said vice presidents have geographical areas where they represent Parliament as a part of their duties and responsibilities.
“The distribution of the tasks of the vice presidents was agreed at the beginning of the mandate. In this Member’s case [Kaili], it was the Middle East”, the spokesperson said.
“The clear and standing instruction to all vice-presidents is to represent the Parliament’s position. Nothing else,” the spokesperson added.
[Sarantis Michalopoulos | EURACTIV.com – Edited by Alice Taylor]
Source: euractiv.com
