The European Public Prosecutor’s Office asks for the immunity of the highest defendant in ‘Qatargate’ to be waived for abuse of their diet
The ‘Qatargate’ scandal, the alleged plot of bribes and gifts from Qatar and Morocco to influence European Parliament decisions, has been in the news for a week. But this isn’t the only investigation involving the name of former Vice President Eva Kaili, the highest-ranking defendant in the case to date. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office has asked for the immunity of the Greek socialist to be waived because of her possible involvement in fraud related to parliamentary fees and in particular with the remuneration of employees.
The request comes after a report from the European Union’s (EU) Anti-Corruption Office and suspicions that he has fraudulently used allowances he received from the European Parliament. This document refers to Eva Kaili, currently under arrest after Belgian police found 150,000 euros in cash in her apartment, and also to Greek socialist Maria Spyraki of the New Democracy party.
The European Parliament has now received the request from the Public Prosecutor’s Office and has started the procedure, which will take several weeks. After learning of this decision, MEP Spyraki assured that she “willingly” accepts the suspension of her immunity, as she has nothing to hide.
The money in question, he said, “refers to an order from a former MEP who was absent from some Eurochamber sessions due to a serious personal problem.” “I have no connection with ‘Qatargate’,” he stressed. The New Democracy party has provisionally suspended the MEP for the duration of the investigation.
Eurocámara’s rules state that each MEP can choose his staff and to cover all these costs he has a maximum amount of EUR 26,734 per month. In addition to this amount and their salary, Members of the European Parliament are entitled to an allowance of EUR 4,778 per month for the payment of expenses arising from parliamentary activities (rent, telephone costs, purchase of computer equipment, etc.).
In October, the plenary passed a reform that relaxes the control rules for these allowances, stipulating that the only people responsible for controlling how the funds are spent are the Members of the European Parliament themselves.
Source: La Verdad
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