Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Belgian prosecutors announced several individuals had been arrested for questioning in relation to their alleged involvement in active corruption within the European Parliament.
The prosecutors stated the Federal Police executed 21 searches in the Brussels region, as well as in Flanders, Wallonia and in Portugal. The European Parliament was shaken by a major corruption scandal about three years ago, which raised the issue of bribery within EU institutions.
How is EPPO handling corruption cases in the European Parliament?
Earlier, in March, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) also launched an investigation against about 10 current and former MEPs amid allegations of corruption. The investigation is concentrated on potential irregularities connected to the salaries and allowances delivered to the assistants of these parliamentarians.
What did the Belgian prosecutors reveal about the investigation?
The Belgian French-language newspaper Le Soir reported that the investigation is focused on doubts that some members of the European Parliament misappropriated public funds planned for their assistants. One of the politicians under investigation is Greek MEP Eva Kaili, who was previously released from her position due to comparable corruption allegations.
Belgian MEPs Vilde Vautmans and Tom Vandendriessche are also allegedly involved in the investigation. EPPO’s investigation has uncovered a worrying trend of increasing corruption lawsuits within EU institutions, with the number of investigations filed in 2024 compared to the previous year.
A previous investigation was conducted in which EPPO examined potential anomalies in contracts for COVID-19 vaccine buys by the European Commission. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office has long faced objection for not sufficiently investigating corruption cases within EU institutions, with some doubting the transparency and effectiveness of their processes.
What happened during the 2022 Belgian authorities’ raids?
In December 2022, Belgian authorities searched extensively at multiple locations and captured a significant sum of €1.5 million. There were several key players in the scandal, including Greek MEP Eva Kaili, ex-Italian MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, Kaili’s partner Francesco Giorgi—who performed as an assistant in the EP—and NGO executive Niccolo Figa-Talamanca.
These individuals were charged with taking bribes from a Gulf country to exploit the parliament’s economic and political conclusions. While Qatar’s name was noted in relation to the case, the Gulf state has categorically rejected the allegations. Following a time of detention, all those engaged in the case, including Kaili, were given conditional bail on April 14, 2023. However, the probe led by the Belgian Federal Prosecutor’s Office has attracted increasing scrutiny, with some arguing that it has made little improvement and has reached a deadlock.
