EU Parliament Vice-President Eva Kaili In Custody For Alleged 'Bags Of Cash From Qatar'

The EU Parliament is being rocked by a corruption scandal as MEPs convene in Strasbourg on Monday for what is sure to be a contentious session. Charges have been filed against four of the six individuals, who were questioned by police over the weekend.

One of those accused, Greek socialist MEP Eva Kaili, was remanded in custody after Belgian investigators allegedly discovered "bags of cash" in her residence. The police investigation is looking into possible influence peddling by Qatar. Doha has refuted the charges.

EU Parliament Vice-President Eva Kaili In Custody For Alleged 'Bags Of Cash From Qatar'

According to EU Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni, this situation is "shameful and intolerable" and "very seriously" harms the reputation of the Parliament. He added, "If it were confirmed that someone took money to try to influence the opinion of the European Parliament, it will really be one of the most dramatic stories of corruption in recent years."

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As a result of her arrest, Kaili, one of the more than a dozen vice presidents of parliament, lost her position. In the Middle East, she was also the spokesman for Parliament President Roberta Metsola.

The Greek politician has also been expelled from the center-left Pasok party and suspended by the Socialists and Democrats. Parliamentarians have expressed shock at the arrests, which are connected to the detention of a former Italian MEP's family members who were allegedly offered a vacation in Qatar for €100,000. Belgian police conducted 16 raids in Brussels on Friday. Along with computers and mobile phones, about €600,000 in cash was seized.

They appeared in the midst of inquiries into allegations that the Gulf state had bribed MEPs with "substantial" financial payments. The country was not identified by the Belgian federal prosecutor's office, but a source familiar with the case confirmed to AFP that it was Qatar, as has been reported by other media.

This week, the European Parliament will vote on a resolution extending visa-free access to the EU to Ecuador, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman. The debate and vote have been proposed by some legislators.