Following is an excerpt from a report by Reuters: “ BRUSSELS Dec 15 (Reuters) - Francesco Giorgi, the partner of ousted European Parliament vice-president Eva Kaili, has confessed his role in a Qatar graft scandal, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
The confession to Belgian investigators was first reported by the Belgian newspaper Le Soir and the Italian newspaper La Repubblica.
Giorgi's confession to taking bribes from Qatar to influence European Parliament decisions on Qatar had made "a significant contribution" to the probe underway by Belgian investigating magistrates, one of the sources said.”
Eva Kaili, ousted VP of the European Parliament
The Story
On December 8 2022, Kaili was picked up by the Belgium Federal Police as a result of an investigation into the lobbying efforts of Kaili which is tied to organised crime, money laundering and corruption. The lobbying efforts by MEP Kaili were in the favour of the arab state Qatar, which is notorious for its anti human rights agendas.
The following people were arrested by the Belgium Federal Police as a result of the extensive investigations.
Eva Kaili
Antonio Panzeri
Francesco Georgi
Andrea Cozzolino (Italian MEP and Kaili’s Husband)
Alexandros Kailis (Eva Kaili’s Father)
Luca Vicentini ( General Secretary of International Union of Trade Confederation)
Niccolò Figa-Talamanca (Secretary-General of the NGO No Peace Without Justice)
an unnamed assistant of the Italian MEP Alessandra Moretti
Antonio Panzeri
€600,000 in cash was reportedly found at Panzeri's home with additional cash being found at Kaili's father's home, his hotel room and the home shared by Kaili and Giorgi. In total, the combined amount of cash found in the raids totalled €1.5million. Following Kaili's arrest she was detained at the Prison de Saint-Gilles until her transfer after five days to a prison in Haren, Brussels.
Belgium Federal Police Insignia
On 12 December 2022, it was announced that the Greek Anti-Money Laundering Authority had frozen all of Kaili's assets and those of close family members. This includes all of Kaili's bank accounts, safes, companies and any other financial assets. Of particular interest to the authorities, according to the head of the Anti-Money Laundering Authority, is a newly established estate agency in Kolonaki, an upmarket neighbourhood of Athens.
Cash recovered by Belgium Police
As the European Parliament convened for the first time following the scandal, on 13 December 2022 at its seat in Strasbourg in France, the offices of Pietro Bartolo MEP and the Parliamentary official Mychelle Rieu were both sealed by investigators.
Eva Kaili with Qatari Offical
On 14 December 2022, media outlet The Times published that after at least 20 raids across Brussels, authorities have confiscated more than $1 million in cash and charged four people with corruption, money laundering, and participation in a criminal organization on behalf of a “Gulf State,”. According to the Times, Belgian media identified “Gulf State” as Qatar but as per the article European authorities have not named the country.
The Qatari government denied any involvement and accused the United Arab Emirates of orchestrating the scandal. Journalist Jack Parrock stated that every Qatari government official believe that the UAE was behind it.
On 15 December the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) requested the European Parliament to lift its diplomatic immunity from Kaili and her fellow Greek MEP Maria Spyraki; the EPPO stated that the request was based on an investigative report received from the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) regarding "suspicion of fraud detrimental to the EU budget, in relation to the management of the parliamentary allowance", specifically regarding money paid to parliamentary assistants.
Opinion
This is the most high profile case of bribery and corruption in recent EU history. The Vice president of the European Parliament herself has stoop to a new low. It not only signifies the existence of “Traitors” within the European Union but it also proves that the top leadership of the European Union cannot be trusted.
This scandal revealed the unprecedented influence veiled by Qatar, a draconian state, over the European Union.
Europe is known for its incredible features of liberty and support to and development of human rights. The Qatari monarch or in fact any monarch or dictator is actually capable of bribing any politician or leader of importance for the European Union member states and mend legislation to their favour. One of the Biggest threats in this aspect to European states would be China, which is not just a threat for Europe but has time and again proved to be a significant threat to India, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, who are all democratic republics and allies and friends of European member states.
The people of Europe should intensely pressurise the government, vote for passing of laws which ensure drastic measures against traitors of Europe and other Democratic friends and allies of Europe. People of the democratic republics should come up with drastic measures to ensure no influence is veiled by draconestic states to alter the much cherished rights and privileges they possess, such as human rights, human resource development and corporate development in their nations.
The people have to step up, and not fear their governments. It is the people of the European states who elect their governments. People have to step up and organise. One of the effective ways to counter corruption is vigilantism. People should make use of the tech available and create strong virtual connections among themselves and should be involved in intelligence collection in regards to scandals or suspected scandals committed by their leaders.
Laws should be passed in favour of civilian vigilantism. The leaders will not create such laws or allow the bill to pass but with intense heat building up among people and with enough degree of pressure by the people, the lawmakers will be left with no other choice but to come up with such vigilante bills and make them a law.
Change is in the hands of the people, it has always been in this way. If the people really want the change and work towards it, change does take place.
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