European Parliament vice president removed over Qatar graft scandal
The European Parliament (EP) has removed Eva Kaili as vice president of the assembly after she was accused by authorities of accepting bribes from Qatar.
"The European Parliament decided on Tuesday to terminate the term of office of Vice-President Eva Kaili," the parliament said in a statement.
The decision to remove Kaili comes after Belgian authorities arrested her on Sunday.
Originally from Greece, and a member of the European Parliament since 2014, Kaili was one of 14 vice presidents in the assembly.
The Belgian prosecutors' office, which said in a statement on Monday that it had been working on the case for more than four months, charged her and three Italians at the weekend with taking part in a criminal organization, money laundering, and corruption. A source close to the investigation has said the group involved with Kaili had allegedly received bribes for influence peddling from Qatar.
Meanwhile, police have raided numerous buildings in Brussels, including parliament offices and 19 homes, in relation to the case, discovering around 1.5 million euros (1.58 million dollars), some of it stashed in a suitcase in a hotel room, a source close to the investigation said.
"The allegations against the vice president of the European Parliament are of utmost concern, very serious," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday. "It is a question of confidence of people into our institutions, and this confidence and trust into our institutions needs higher standards."
The energy-rich Persian Gulf state of Qatar, which is currently hosting the FIFA World Cup, has denied any wrongdoing.
Kaili's lawyer in Greece, Michalis Dimitrakopoulos, also said on Tuesday that his client was innocent and she had done nothing illegal.
However, Greek authorities on Monday froze the assets of Kaili, who is a Socialist, and her relatives' assets, as well.
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