Postponed hearing of EP deputy arrested for corruption

According to the statement from the Federal Prosecutor’s Office, MEP Kaili requested the postponement of the preliminary hearing by not appearing in court. Immediately afterwards, the court postponed the hearing until December 22.

Eva Kaili and three other detainees appeared in court. It was reported that among these people, Kaili’s partner, Francesco Giorgi, an EP assistant, and the Italian Pier-Antonio Panzeri, a former EP deputy, will continue to be detained.

It has been announced that Niccolo Figa-Talamanca, director of a non-governmental organization working in the rule of law field, will be detained with electronic handcuffs.

Eva Kaili, who was accused of corruption when she was EP vice-president, and Italian Pier-Antonio Panzeri, a former EP deputy, and Niccolo Figa-Talamanca, Kaili’s partner and AP aide, were arrested on charges of accepting bribes from Qatar to influence the economic and political decisions of the EP had been taken. Qatar denies allegations that it has bribed strategically placed individuals.

In the investigation of corruption, bribery and money laundering of the Belgian police and prosecutor’s office, a total of 1.5 million euros in cash have been found in searches carried out at various points. Some of the coins were found in Kaili’s house and others in the suitcase that her father was carrying. It was also claimed that there was a large amount of cash in Panzeri’s house.

Kaili’s lawyers claimed that their clients were unaware of the money found at the house of the deputy and his father, and held Giorgi responsible for the money. (AA)