Brussels (Eurotoday) – Belgian prosecutors have announced the arrest of several individuals for questioning regarding their alleged involvement in active corruption within the European Parliament.
According to prosecutors, the Federal Police carried out 21 searches in the Brussels region, as well as in Flanders, Wallonia, and Portugal. The European Parliament was rocked by a major corruption scandal about three years ago, raising concerns about 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 into around 10 current and former MEPs over allegations of corruption. The inquiry focuses on potential irregularities linked to salaries and allowances paid to parliamentary assistants.
What did Belgian prosecutors reveal about the investigation?
The Belgian French-language newspaper Le Soir reported that the investigation centers on suspicions that some members of the European Parliament misused public funds intended for their assistants. Among those under investigation is Greek MEP Eva Kaili, who was previously dismissed due to similar corruption allegations.
Belgian MEPs Vilde Vautmans and Tom Vandendriessche are also reportedly involved in the case. EPPO’s investigation has exposed a growing trend of corruption cases within EU institutions, with a sharp rise in the number of cases filed in 2024 compared to the previous year.
A previous EPPO inquiry investigated potential discrepancies in COVID-19 vaccine procurement contracts handled by the European Commission. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office has faced criticism for not thoroughly investigating corruption cases within EU institutions, with some questioning the transparency and efficiency of its processes.
What happened during the 2022 Belgian authorities’ raids?
In December 2022, Belgian authorities conducted extensive searches across multiple locations and seized a significant sum of €1.5 million. Several key figures were implicated in the scandal, including Greek MEP Eva Kaili, former Italian MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, Kaili’s partner Francesco Giorgi—who worked as an EP assistant—and NGO executive Niccolo Figa-Talamanca.
These individuals were accused of accepting bribes from a Gulf nation to influence the European Parliament’s economic and political decisions. While Qatar was mentioned in relation to the case, the Gulf state has strongly denied the allegations. After a period of detention, all individuals involved, including Kaili, were granted conditional bail on April 14, 2023. However, the Belgian Federal Prosecutor’s Office investigation has faced growing scrutiny, with some arguing that progress has stalled.
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