The head of European Union (EU) diplomacy, Josep Borrell, expressed concern after what happened to lawmaker Eva Kaili, who was arrested over the weekend for alleged corruption. He recalled that he can only rely on the facts and evidence to try to clarify what happened with the European Parliament, Qatar and alleged irregular payments.
Text: RFI / AFP
The head of diplomacy of the European Union (EU), Josep Borrell, considered this Monday “very worrying” the “serious accusations” of payment of bribes by Qatar to members of the European Parliament.
Greek Social Democratic Euro-legislator Eva Kaili, who was serving as vice-president of the European Parliament, was arrested and charged as part of an investigation by the Belgian public prosecutor’s office.
“Certainly the news is very, very worrying,” said Borrell, a former president of the European Parliament, arriving for a meeting in Brussels of EU countries’ foreign ministers.
The Spanish official recalled that “I am not a judge but there is a process underway.”
“We are concerned, but I have to act in accordance not only with the facts, but with the evidence. We understand that these are very serious accusations,” added the head of European diplomacy.
*Read also: EP vice-president Eva Kaili arrested and charged over corruption investigation
For his part, the Irish Foreign Minister, Simon Coveney, defended the initiation of a “full and transparent investigation” to find out “what has happened.”
A judge in Brussels ordered the transfer of Kaili, 44, and three other people to a jail, two days after the arrests related to an investigation into payments apparently made by Qatar.
Kaili’s address in Brussels was searched by the court on Friday night, and that of another Socialist MEP, Belgian Marc Tarabella, was searched on Saturday night, a judicial source told AFP.
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